Population having attained at least basic education in China
China: Population having attained at least basic education was 98.7 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Population having attained at least basic education in China, 1870–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2020, population having attained at least basic education in China stood at 98.7. That is the highest value across all 31 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population having attained at least basic education in China peaked at 98.7 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1870.
China ranks 33rd of 111 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population having attained at least basic education in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 0 | — |
| 1875 | 0 | — |
| 1880 | 0 | — |
| 1885 | 0.1 | — |
| 1890 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 0.2 | +100.0% |
| 1900 | 0.3 | +50.0% |
| 1905 | 0.5 | +66.7% |
| 1910 | 0.8 | +60.0% |
| 1915 | 1.2 | +50.0% |
| 1920 | 1.9 | +58.3% |
| 1925 | 3.5 | +84.2% |
| 1930 | 5.5 | +57.1% |
| 1935 | 7.7 | +40.0% |
| 1940 | 24.8 | +222.1% |
| 1945 | 27.4 | +10.5% |
| 1950 | 31.4 | +14.6% |
| 1955 | 38.6 | +22.9% |
| 1960 | 46.6 | +20.7% |
| 1965 | 54.9 | +17.8% |
| 1970 | 64.4 | +17.3% |
| 1975 | 71.4 | +10.9% |
| 1980 | 80.3 | +12.5% |
| 1985 | 82 | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 82.2 | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 88.3 | +7.4% |
| 2000 | 93.5 | +5.9% |
| 2005 | 95.8 | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 97.4 | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 98 | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 98.7 | +0.7% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 98.7 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 97.4, 1.0× the median. (30 countries reporting)
- China's 98.7 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 98.3, 1.0× the median. (13 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population having attained at least basic education in China 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 | +222.1% | 7.7 | 24.8 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1880s | 0.05 | 0 | 0.1 | 2 |
| 1890s | 0.15 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 2 |
| 1900s | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 2 |
| 1910s | 1 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 2 |
| 1920s | 2.7 | 1.9 | 3.5 | 2 |
| 1930s | 6.6 | 5.5 | 7.7 | 2 |
| 1940s | 26.1 | 24.8 | 27.4 | 2 |
| 1950s | 35 | 31.4 | 38.6 | 2 |
| 1960s | 50.75 | 46.6 | 54.9 | 2 |
| 1970s | 67.9 | 64.4 | 71.4 | 2 |
| 1980s | 81.15 | 80.3 | 82 | 2 |
| 1990s | 85.25 | 82.2 | 88.3 | 2 |
| 2000s | 94.65 | 93.5 | 95.8 | 2 |
| 2010s | 97.7 | 97.4 | 98 | 2 |
| 2020s | 98.7 | 98.7 | 98.7 | 1 |
Countries ranked near China
More education data for China
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 93.37 (1997)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 93.32 (1997)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.41 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 7,020 (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 21.58 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 19.36 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 97.98 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 108.57 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9587 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population having attained at least basic education in China?
- Population having attained at least basic education in China was 98.7 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population having attained at least basic education recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 98.7 in 2020.
- What is the lowest population having attained at least basic education recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1870.
- How does China rank for population having attained at least basic education?
- China ranks 33rd out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is population having attained at least basic education rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China 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).