Saudi Arabia vs South Africa: Share of the population with lower secondary education
Saudi Arabia
85.8%
in 2024
South Africa
85.4%
in 2024
Saudi Arabia rank
53rd
South Africa rank
54th
Share of the population with lower secondary education over time
- Saudi Arabia
- South Africa
How they compare
Saudi Arabia currently reports 85.8% against 85.4% in South Africa, a difference of 0.4%.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 10 shared years of data; in 2004 it was South Africa ahead.
Saudi Arabia ranks 53rd and South Africa ranks 54th of 135 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Saudi Arabia | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 48.8% | 64.4% | 15.6% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 70.8% | 72.1% | 1.3% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 78.9% | 80.6% | 1.7% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher share of the population with lower secondary education, Saudi Arabia or South Africa?
- Saudi Arabia, at 85.8% against 85.4% in South Africa as of 2024.
- What is the difference in share of the population with lower secondary education between Saudi Arabia and South Africa?
- 0.4%, with Saudi Arabia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Saudi Arabia and South Africa?
- 10 years are reported by both, from 2004 to 2024.
- How do Saudi Arabia and South Africa rank globally for share of the population with lower secondary education?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 53rd and South Africa ranks 54th of 135 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Share of the population with lower secondary education. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Share of adults aged 25 and older who have completed lower secondary education or higher.