Which has higher lower secondary school starting age, Hong Kong or Spain?

Hong Kong, at 12 years against 12 years in Spain as of 2025.

How many years of comparable data are there for Hong Kong and Spain?

56 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2025.

Where does this data come from?

Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Lower secondary school starting age (years). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Hong Kong vs Spain: Lower secondary school starting age

Hong Kong

12 years

in 2025

Spain

12 years

in 2025

Hong Kong rank

30th

Spain rank

30th

Lower secondary school starting age over time

Hong Kong
Spain

How they compare

Hong Kong currently reports 12 years against 12 years in Spain, a difference of 0 years.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 56 shared years of data; in 1970 it was Hong Kong ahead.

Hong Kong ranks 30th and Spain ranks 30th of 209 countries.

Hong Kong has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Hong Kong	Spain	Difference	Ahead
1970s	12 years	11 years	1 years	Hong Kong
1980s	12 years	11 years	1 years	Hong Kong
1990s	12 years	11.4 years	0.6 years	Hong Kong
2000s	12 years	12 years	0 years	—
2010s	12 years	12 years	0 years	—
2020s	12 years	12 years	0 years	—

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher lower secondary school starting age, Hong Kong or Spain?: Hong Kong, at 12 years against 12 years in Spain as of 2025.
What is the difference in lower secondary school starting age between Hong Kong and Spain?: 0 years, with Hong Kong ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Hong Kong and Spain?: 56 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2025.
How do Hong Kong and Spain rank globally for lower secondary school starting age?: Hong Kong ranks 30th and Spain ranks 30th of 209 countries.
Where does this data come from?: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Lower secondary school starting age (years). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Hong Kong vs Spain: Lower secondary school starting age. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 28 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/lower-secondary-school-starting-age-years/hong-kong-sar-china/spain/

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About this data

Indicator: Lower secondary school starting age (years)
Unit: years
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 209 places, 11,411 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed: 20 August 2026

Lower secondary school starting age is the age at which students would enter lower secondary education, assuming they had started at the official entrance age for the lowest level of education, had studied full-time throughout and had progressed through the system without repeating or skipping a grade.