Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population in Nepal
Nepal: Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population was 59.2% in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population in Nepal, 1971–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2021, educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in Nepal stood at 59.2%. That is the highest value across all 8 years on record.
That represents a change of up 5.3% on the previous year and up 51.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in Nepal peaked at 59.2% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 4.0%, in 1971.
That places Nepal 126th out of 136 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population in Nepal, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 4.0% | — |
| 1981 | 9.6% | +140.8% |
| 2001 | 30.9% | +220.7% |
| 2008 | 39.0% | +26.1% |
| 2016 | 51.5% | +31.9% |
| 2017 | 52.9% | +2.8% |
| 2019 | 56.2% | +6.2% |
| 2021 | 59.2% | +5.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.0% | 4.0% | 4.0% | 1 |
| 1980s | 9.6% | 9.6% | 9.6% | 1 |
| 2000s | 35.0% | 30.9% | 39.0% | 2 |
| 2010s | 53.5% | 51.5% | 56.2% | 3 |
| 2020s | 59.2% | 59.2% | 59.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
More education data for Nepal
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 3.67 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -0.7265 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 157,456 (2025)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate -2.05 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.80 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate -1.38 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.87 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate -0.0951 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.36 million (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 12.06 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in Nepal?
- Educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in Nepal was 59.2% in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population recorded in Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 59.2% in 2021.
- What is the lowest educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.0% in 1971.
- How does Nepal rank for educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population?
- Nepal ranks 126th out of 136 countries with data for 2021.
- Is educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 51.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nepal data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population 25+ years, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 8 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release