Portugal vs South Africa: Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or

Portugal
34.6%
in 2023
South Africa
32.1%
in 2024
Portugal rank
59th
South Africa rank
62nd

Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or over time

  • Portugal
  • South Africa
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How they compare

Portugal currently reports 34.6% against 32.1% in South Africa, a difference of 2.5%.

That makes Portugal's figure about 1.1 times South Africa's.

The two have swapped places 3 times across 15 shared years of data; in 2001 it was South Africa ahead.

Portugal ranks 59th and South Africa ranks 62nd of 109 countries.

Across the 3 decades both report, Portugal averaged higher in 2 and South Africa in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade Portugal South Africa Difference Ahead
2000s 16.5% 15.6% 0.9% Portugal
2010s 27.1% 22.7% 4.4% Portugal
2020s 31.7% 31.7% 0.1% South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or, Portugal or South Africa?
Portugal, at 34.6% against 32.1% in South Africa as of 2023.
What is the difference in educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or between Portugal and South Africa?
2.5%, with Portugal ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Portugal and South Africa?
15 years are reported by both, from 2001 to 2023.
How do Portugal and South Africa rank globally for educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or?
Portugal ranks 59th and South Africa ranks 62nd of 109 countries.
Where does this data come from?
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or higher, population 25+ years, rural, female (%). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Portugal vs South Africa: Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/educational-attainment-rate-completed-upper-secondary-education-or-higher-population-25-10/portugal/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or higher, population 25+ years, rural, female (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
109 places, 1,692 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release