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

Zambia, at 8.37 years against 8.27 years in Iraq as of 2020.

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

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.

Iraq vs Zambia: Average years of schooling

Iraq

8.27 years

in 2020

Zambia

8.37 years

in 2020

Iraq rank

74th

Zambia rank

72nd

Average years of schooling over time

Iraq
Zambia

How they compare

Zambia currently reports 8.37 years against 8.27 years in Iraq, a difference of 0.1 years.

The two have swapped places 4 times across 31 shared years of data; in 1870 it was Zambia ahead.

Iraq ranks 74th and Zambia ranks 72nd of 111 countries.

Across the 16 decades both report, Iraq averaged higher in 1 and Zambia in 12.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Iraq	Zambia	Difference	Ahead
1870s	0.01 years	0.01 years	0 years	—
1880s	0.01 years	0.01 years	0 years	—
1890s	0.01 years	0.01 years	0 years	—
1900s	0.02 years	0.01 years	0.01 years	Iraq
1910s	0.02 years	0.225 years	0.205 years	Zambia
1920s	0.025 years	0.435 years	0.41 years	Zambia
1930s	0.045 years	1.05 years	1.01 years	Zambia
1940s	0.13 years	1.44 years	1.31 years	Zambia
1950s	0.3 years	1.94 years	1.64 years	Zambia
1960s	0.715 years	2.52 years	1.8 years	Zambia
1970s	1.82 years	3.46 years	1.65 years	Zambia
1980s	3.45 years	4.56 years	1.11 years	Zambia
1990s	5.17 years	5.53 years	0.355 years	Zambia
2000s	6.42 years	6.47 years	0.055 years	Zambia
2010s	7.59 years	7.65 years	0.055 years	Zambia
2020s	8.27 years	8.37 years	0.1 years	Zambia

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher average years of schooling, Iraq or Zambia?: Zambia, at 8.37 years against 8.27 years in Iraq as of 2020.
What is the difference in average years of schooling between Iraq and Zambia?: 0.1 years, with Zambia ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Iraq and Zambia?: 31 years are reported by both, from 1870 to 2020.
How do Iraq and Zambia rank globally for average years of schooling?: Iraq ranks 74th and Zambia ranks 72nd 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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Iraq vs Zambia: Average years of schooling. Statizoid, drawing on Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/mean-years-of-schooling-long-run/iraq/zambia/

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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.