Which has higher average years of schooling, Ghana or Iraq?

Ghana, at 8.39 years against 8.27 years in Iraq as of 2020.

How many years of comparable data are there for Ghana and Iraq?

31 years are reported by both, from 1870 to 2020.

Where does this data come from?

Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Average years of schooling. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Ghana vs Iraq: Average years of schooling

Ghana

8.39 years

in 2020

Iraq

8.27 years

in 2020

Ghana rank

71st

Iraq rank

74th

Average years of schooling over time

Ghana
Iraq

How they compare

Ghana currently reports 8.39 years against 8.27 years in Iraq, a difference of 0.12 years.

The two have swapped places 3 times across 31 shared years of data; in 1870 it was Iraq ahead.

Ghana ranks 71st and Iraq ranks 74th of 111 countries.

Ghana has averaged higher in every one of the 16 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Ghana	Iraq	Difference	Ahead
1870s	0.015 years	0.01 years	0.005 years	Ghana
1880s	0.02 years	0.01 years	0.01 years	Ghana
1890s	0.035 years	0.01 years	0.025 years	Ghana
1900s	0.075 years	0.02 years	0.055 years	Ghana
1910s	0.17 years	0.02 years	0.15 years	Ghana
1920s	0.295 years	0.025 years	0.27 years	Ghana
1930s	0.405 years	0.045 years	0.36 years	Ghana
1940s	0.535 years	0.13 years	0.405 years	Ghana
1950s	0.765 years	0.3 years	0.465 years	Ghana
1960s	1.56 years	0.715 years	0.85 years	Ghana
1970s	3.79 years	1.82 years	1.97 years	Ghana
1980s	5.28 years	3.45 years	1.83 years	Ghana
1990s	6.16 years	5.17 years	0.99 years	Ghana
2000s	6.97 years	6.42 years	0.56 years	Ghana
2010s	7.69 years	7.59 years	0.095 years	Ghana
2020s	8.39 years	8.27 years	0.12 years	Ghana

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher average years of schooling, Ghana or Iraq?: Ghana, at 8.39 years against 8.27 years in Iraq as of 2020.
What is the difference in average years of schooling between Ghana and Iraq?: 0.12 years, with Ghana ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Ghana and Iraq?: 31 years are reported by both, from 1870 to 2020.
How do Ghana and Iraq rank globally for average years of schooling?: Ghana ranks 71st and Iraq ranks 74th of 111 countries.
Where does this data come from?: Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Average years of schooling. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Ghana vs Iraq: Average years of schooling. Statizoid, drawing on Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/mean-years-of-schooling-long-run/ghana/iraq/

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About this data

Indicator: Average years of schooling
Unit: years
Source: Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 111 places, 3,441 data points, 1870–2020
Last refreshed: 28 August 2026

Average years of formal education for individuals aged 15-64.