Expected years of schooling vs. share in extreme poverty in Zambia
Zambia: Expected years of schooling vs. share in extreme poverty was 11.02 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Expected years of schooling vs. share in extreme poverty in Zambia, 1990–2023
Source: UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for expected years of schooling vs. share in extreme poverty in Zambia is 11.02 years, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expected years of schooling vs. share in extreme poverty in Zambia peaked at 11.02 years in 2021 and was at its lowest, 7.8 years, in 1990.
That places Zambia 157th out of 194 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Expected years of schooling vs. share in extreme poverty in Zambia, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 7.8 years | — |
| 1991 | 7.85 years | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 7.91 years | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 7.97 years | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 8.03 years | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 8.09 years | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 8.15 years | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 8.25 years | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 8.36 years | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 8.46 years | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 8.56 years | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 8.66 years | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 8.77 years | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 9.21 years | +5.1% |
| 2004 | 9.65 years | +4.8% |
| 2005 | 10.1 years | +4.6% |
| 2006 | 10.54 years | +4.4% |
| 2007 | 10.98 years | +4.2% |
| 2008 | 10.99 years | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 10.99 years | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 10.99 years | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 10.99 years | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 11 years | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 11 years | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 11 years | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 11.01 years | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 11.01 years | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 11.01 years | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 11.01 years | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 11.02 years | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 11.02 years | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 11.02 years | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 11.02 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 11.02 years | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.09 years | 7.8 years | 8.46 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.85 years | 8.56 years | 10.99 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 11 years | 10.99 years | 11.02 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.02 years | 11.02 years | 11.02 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More education data for Zambia
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of secondary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,022 tertiary education (2022)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0497 % change on previous year (2014)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 116,859 (2024)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre-primary education 4 years (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is expected years of schooling vs. share in extreme poverty in Zambia?
- Expected years of schooling vs. share in extreme poverty in Zambia was 11.02 years in 2023, according to UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest expected years of schooling vs. share in extreme poverty recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 11.02 years in 2021.
- What is the lowest expected years of schooling vs. share in extreme poverty recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.8 years in 1990.
- How does Zambia rank for expected years of schooling vs. share in extreme poverty?
- Zambia ranks 157th out of 194 countries with data for 2023.
- Is expected years of schooling vs. share in extreme poverty rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Expected years of schooling vs. share in extreme poverty. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Number of years a child of school-entrance-age can expect to receive if the current age-specific enrollment rates persist throughout the child's life.