Small states vs South Africa: Primary education, duration
Small states
6 years
in 2025
South Africa
7 years
in 2025
Small states rank
2nd
South Africa rank
3rd
Primary education, duration over time
- Small states
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 7 years against 6 years in Small states, a difference of 1 years.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.2 times Small states's.
Across all 56 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.
Small states ranks 2nd and South Africa ranks 3rd of 44 groups.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Small states | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 6.45 years | 7 years | 0.55 years | South Africa |
| 1980s | 6.15 years | 7 years | 0.85 years | South Africa |
| 1990s | 6.15 years | 7 years | 0.85 years | South Africa |
| 2000s | 6.2 years | 7 years | 0.8 years | South Africa |
| 2010s | 6 years | 7 years | 1 years | South Africa |
| 2020s | 6 years | 7 years | 1 years | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher primary education, duration, Small states or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 7 years against 6 years in Small states as of 2025.
- What is the difference in primary education, duration between Small states and South Africa?
- 1 years, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Small states and South Africa?
- 56 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2025.
- How do Small states and South Africa rank globally for primary education, duration?
- Small states ranks 2nd and South Africa ranks 3rd of 44 groups.
- Where does this data come from?
- Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Primary education, duration (years). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Primary duration refers to the number of grades (years) in primary school.