Population having attained at least basic education in Iran

Iran: Population having attained at least basic education was 90.8 in 2020. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2020)
90.8
World rank
80th
of 111 countries
All-time high
90.8
in 2020
All-time low
0
in 1870
Years of data
31
1870–2020

Population having attained at least basic education in Iran, 1870–2020

0204060801001870194520201870: 01875: 01880: 01885: 01890: 0.11895: 0.11900: 0.31905: 0.41910: 0.61915: 2.51920: 2.81925: 3.11930: 3.51935: 41940: 5.61945: 71950: 8.71955: 10.11960: 13.81965: 20.61970: 271975: 33.41980: 44.21985: 551990: 641995: 74.32000: 82.32005: 86.12010: 88.22015: 89.22020: 90.8

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

Iran recorded 90.8 for population having attained at least basic education in 2020. That is the highest value across all 31 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population having attained at least basic education in Iran peaked at 90.8 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1870.

Iran ranks 80th 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 Iran, year by year

Annual values for Population having attained at least basic education in Iran, 1870 to 2020.
Year Value Change
1870 0 —
1875 0 —
1880 0 —
1885 0 —
1890 0.1 —
1895 0.1 +0.0%
1900 0.3 +200.0%
1905 0.4 +33.3%
1910 0.6 +50.0%
1915 2.5 +316.7%
1920 2.8 +12.0%
1925 3.1 +10.7%
1930 3.5 +12.9%
1935 4 +14.3%
1940 5.6 +40.0%
1945 7 +25.0%
1950 8.7 +24.3%
1955 10.1 +16.1%
1960 13.8 +36.6%
1965 20.6 +49.3%
1970 27 +31.1%
1975 33.4 +23.7%
1980 44.2 +32.3%
1985 55 +24.4%
1990 64 +16.4%
1995 74.3 +16.1%
2000 82.3 +10.8%
2005 86.1 +4.6%
2010 88.2 +2.4%
2015 89.2 +1.1%
2020 90.8 +1.8%

Iran compared with similar countries

  • Iran's 90.8 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 97.4, 93% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
  • Iran's 90.8 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 88.2, 1.0× the median. (14 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Population having attained at least basic education in Iran 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.

YearChange FromTo
1915 +316.7% 0.6 2.5
1900 +200.0% 0.1 0.3

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1870s 0 0 0 2
1880s 0 0 0 2
1890s 0.1 0.1 0.1 2
1900s 0.35 0.3 0.4 2
1910s 1.55 0.6 2.5 2
1920s 2.95 2.8 3.1 2
1930s 3.75 3.5 4 2
1940s 6.3 5.6 7 2
1950s 9.4 8.7 10.1 2
1960s 17.2 13.8 20.6 2
1970s 30.2 27 33.4 2
1980s 49.6 44.2 55 2
1990s 69.15 64 74.3 2
2000s 84.2 82.3 86.1 2
2010s 88.7 88.2 89.2 2
2020s 90.8 90.8 90.8 1

Countries ranked near Iran

  1. 77 Malawi 91.8 compare
  2. 78 Syria 91.6 compare
  3. 79 Myanmar 91.5 compare
  4. 81 Tunisia 90.6 compare
  5. 82 Nicaragua 90.3 compare
  6. 83 Algeria 89.6 compare

See the full ranking of 111 places →

More education data for Iran

All data for Iran →

Frequently asked questions

What is population having attained at least basic education in Iran?
Population having attained at least basic education in Iran was 90.8 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest population having attained at least basic education recorded in Iran?
The highest recorded value was 90.8 in 2020.
What is the lowest population having attained at least basic education recorded in Iran?
The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1870.
How does Iran rank for population having attained at least basic education?
Iran ranks 80th out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
Is population having attained at least basic education rising or falling in Iran?
Over the last ten years it is up 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Iran 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.

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Population having attained at least basic education in Iran. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 13 November 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/population-having-attained-at-least-basic-education/iran-islamic-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Population having attained at least basic education
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
111 places, 3,441 data points, 1870–2020
Last refreshed