Population having attained at least basic education in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Population having attained at least basic education was 66.1 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Population having attained at least basic education in Afghanistan, 1870–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Afghanistan recorded 66.1 for population having attained at least basic education in 2020. That is the highest value across all 31 years on record.
The figure is up 52.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population having attained at least basic education in Afghanistan peaked at 66.1 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1870.
Afghanistan ranks 101st of 111 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population having attained at least basic education in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 0 | — |
| 1875 | 0 | — |
| 1880 | 0 | — |
| 1885 | 0 | — |
| 1890 | 0 | — |
| 1895 | 0 | — |
| 1900 | 0 | — |
| 1905 | 0 | — |
| 1910 | 0.2 | — |
| 1915 | 0.4 | +100.0% |
| 1920 | 0.6 | +50.0% |
| 1925 | 0.7 | +16.7% |
| 1930 | 0.9 | +28.6% |
| 1935 | 1 | +11.1% |
| 1940 | 4.7 | +370.0% |
| 1945 | 5 | +6.4% |
| 1950 | 5.5 | +10.0% |
| 1955 | 6.1 | +10.9% |
| 1960 | 7.2 | +18.0% |
| 1965 | 8.3 | +15.3% |
| 1970 | 11.7 | +41.0% |
| 1975 | 14.9 | +27.4% |
| 1980 | 18.8 | +26.2% |
| 1985 | 23.3 | +23.9% |
| 1990 | 26.2 | +12.4% |
| 1995 | 28 | +6.9% |
| 2000 | 33.6 | +20.0% |
| 2005 | 35.7 | +6.3% |
| 2010 | 43.3 | +21.3% |
| 2015 | 56.7 | +30.9% |
| 2020 | 66.1 | +16.6% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 66.1 is above the median for low income countries, which is 64, 1.0× the median. (13 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 66.1 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 88.2, 75% of the median. (14 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population having attained at least basic education in Afghanistan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | +370.0% | 1 | 4.7 |
| 1915 | +100.0% | 0.2 | 0.4 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1880s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1890s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1900s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1910s | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 2 |
| 1920s | 0.65 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 2 |
| 1930s | 0.95 | 0.9 | 1 | 2 |
| 1940s | 4.85 | 4.7 | 5 | 2 |
| 1950s | 5.8 | 5.5 | 6.1 | 2 |
| 1960s | 7.75 | 7.2 | 8.3 | 2 |
| 1970s | 13.3 | 11.7 | 14.9 | 2 |
| 1980s | 21.05 | 18.8 | 23.3 | 2 |
| 1990s | 27.1 | 26.2 | 28 | 2 |
| 2000s | 34.65 | 33.6 | 35.7 | 2 |
| 2010s | 50 | 43.3 | 56.7 | 2 |
| 2020s | 66.1 | 66.1 | 66.1 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
- 98 Cote d'Ivoire 70.7 compare
- 99 Democratic Republic of Congo 69.3 compare
- 100 Pakistan 68.6 compare
- 102 Sierra Leone 64.9 compare
- 103 Liberia 64 compare
- 104 Benin 62.6 compare
More education data for Afghanistan
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 15.63 (1993)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 31.23 (1993)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 88,020 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 343,942 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 13,837 (2003)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 10,383 (2003)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.43 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.51 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.56 % change on previous year (2019)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population having attained at least basic education in Afghanistan?
- Population having attained at least basic education in Afghanistan was 66.1 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population having attained at least basic education recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 66.1 in 2020.
- What is the lowest population having attained at least basic education recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1870.
- How does Afghanistan rank for population having attained at least basic education?
- Afghanistan ranks 101st out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is population having attained at least basic education rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 52.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Population having attained at least basic education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 31 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).