Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) in Zambia
Zambia: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) was 24,494 in 2012. ◆ Volatile
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female in Zambia, 1970–2012
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2012, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female in Zambia stood at 24,494. That is the highest value across all 12 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 59.0% on the previous year and up 234.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female in Zambia peaked at 24,494 in 2012 and was at its lowest, 214, in 1970.
That places Zambia 137th out of 195 countries with data for 2012, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) in Zambia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 214 | — |
| 1974 | 1,103 | +415.4% |
| 1975 | 1,170 | +6.1% |
| 1979 | 1,710 | +46.2% |
| 1981 | 1,566 | -8.4% |
| 1982 | 1,759 | +12.3% |
| 1988 | 4,050 | +130.2% |
| 1989 | 4,063 | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 7,181 | +76.7% |
| 1999 | 7,325 | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 15,402 | +110.3% |
| 2012 | 24,494 | +59.0% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 24,494 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 142,539, 17% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 24,494 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 40,177, 61% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1,049 | 214 | 1,710 | 4 |
| 1980s | 2,860 | 1,566 | 4,063 | 4 |
| 1990s | 7,253 | 7,181 | 7,325 | 2 |
| 2010s | 19,948 | 15,402 | 24,494 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More education data for Zambia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 42,585 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 169,961 (2013)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.39 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.49 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.55 % change on previous year (2017)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2106 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.49 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female in Zambia?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female in Zambia was 24,494 in 2012, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 24,494 in 2012.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 214 in 1970.
- How does Zambia rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female?
- Zambia ranks 137th out of 195 countries with data for 2012.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 234.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 12 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release