UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in Portugal

Portugal: UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of was 8.5% in 2018. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2018)
8.5%
Change on year
up 2.4%
World rank
34th
of 65 countries
All-time high
61.5%
in 1991
All-time low
8.3%
in 2017
Years of data
24
1970–2018

UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in Portugal, 1970–2018

02040601970199420181970: 17.21981: 58.51991: 61.51998: 22.91999: 22.72000: 21.52001: 20.62002: 19.52003: 18.52004: 16.62005: 15.82006: 152007: 14.52008: 13.72009: 12.62010: 12.12011: 12.42012: 11.52013: 10.72014: 10.12015: 9.52016: 8.92017: 8.32018: 8.5

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

In 2018, uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in Portugal stood at 8.5%.

The figure is up 2.4% on the previous year and down 38.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in Portugal peaked at 61.5% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 8.3%, in 2017.

That places Portugal 34th out of 65 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in Portugal, year by year

Annual values for UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of education is incomplete primary, both sexes in Portugal, 1970 to 2018.
Year Value Change
1970 17.2%
1981 58.5% +239.7%
1991 61.5% +5.1%
1998 22.9% -62.8%
1999 22.7% -0.5%
2000 21.5% -5.5%
2001 20.6% -4.0%
2002 19.5% -5.3%
2003 18.5% -5.5%
2004 16.6% -10.0%
2005 15.8% -5.0%
2006 15.0% -4.8%
2007 14.5% -3.7%
2008 13.7% -5.0%
2009 12.6% -8.3%
2010 12.1% -4.2%
2011 12.4% +2.9%
2012 11.5% -7.3%
2013 10.7% -6.8%
2014 10.1% -6.3%
2015 9.5% -5.9%
2016 8.9% -6.1%
2017 8.3% -7.0%
2018 8.5% +2.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 17.2% 17.2% 17.2% 1
1980s 58.5% 58.5% 58.5% 1
1990s 35.7% 22.7% 61.5% 3
2000s 16.8% 12.6% 21.5% 10
2010s 10.2% 8.3% 12.4% 9

Countries ranked near Portugal

  1. 31 Chile 9.8% compare
  2. 32 South Africa 9.2% compare
  3. 33 Mali 9.2% compare
  4. 35 Uruguay 8.0% compare
  5. 36 Macao 6.9% compare
  6. 37 Venezuela 6.8% compare

See the full ranking of 65 places →

More reference data data for Portugal

All data for Portugal →

Frequently asked questions

What is uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in Portugal?
Uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in Portugal was 8.5% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of recorded in Portugal?
The highest recorded value was 61.5% in 1991.
What is the lowest uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of recorded in Portugal?
The lowest recorded value was 8.3% in 2017.
How does Portugal rank for uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of?
Portugal ranks 34th out of 65 countries with data for 2018.
Is uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of rising or falling in Portugal?
Over the last ten years it is down 38.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Portugal data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of education is incomplete primary, both sexes. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in Portugal. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/uis-percentage-of-population-age-25-whose-highest-level-of-education-is-incomplete/portugal/

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About this data

Indicator
UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of education is incomplete primary, both sexes
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
65 places, 684 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

The percentage of population (age 25 and over) with incomplete primary as the highest level of educational attainment. This indicator is calculated by dividing the number of persons aged 25 years and above with incomplete primary education by the total population of the same age group and multiplying the result by 100. The UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) educational attainment dataset shows the educational composition of the population aged 25 years and above and hence the stock and quality of human capital within a country. The dataset also reflects the structure and performance of the education system and its accumulated impact on human capital formation. For more information, visit the UNESCO Institute for Statistics website: http://www.uis.unesco.org/