Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population in Nepal
Nepal: Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population was 36.4% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population in Nepal, 1981–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
Nepal recorded 36.4% for educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in 2021. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.
That represents a change of up 19.2% on the previous year and up 86.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in Nepal peaked at 36.4% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 3.3%, in 1981.
That places Nepal 89th out of 97 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 3.3% | — |
| 2008 | 19.5% | +490.5% |
| 2016 | 26.4% | +35.3% |
| 2017 | 28.9% | +9.5% |
| 2019 | 30.5% | +5.6% |
| 2021 | 36.4% | +19.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3.3% | 3.3% | 3.3% | 1 |
| 2000s | 19.5% | 19.5% | 19.5% | 1 |
| 2010s | 28.6% | 26.4% | 30.5% | 3 |
| 2020s | 36.4% | 36.4% | 36.4% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
More education data for Nepal
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.69 million (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.0828 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), per capita 0.0571 units per person (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.87 million (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 2.45 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), per capita 0.0633 units per person (2025)
- 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)
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 36.4% 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 36.4% in 2021.
- What is the lowest educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.3% in 1981.
- How does Nepal rank for educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population?
- Nepal ranks 89th out of 97 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 86.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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, rural, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 6 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release