Population having attained at least basic education in Ireland
Ireland: Population having attained at least basic education was 99.6 in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
99.6
World rank
12th
of 111 countries
All-time high
99.6
in 2020
All-time low
18.1
in 1870
Years of data
31
1870–2020
Population having attained at least basic education in Ireland, 1870–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population having attained at least basic education in Ireland is 99.6, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 31 years on record.
The figure is up 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population having attained at least basic education in Ireland peaked at 99.6 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 18.1, in 1870.
Ireland ranks 12th of 111 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 31 years of available data.
Population having attained at least basic education in Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 18.1 | — |
| 1875 | 20.7 | +14.4% |
| 1880 | 23.4 | +13.0% |
| 1885 | 26.2 | +12.0% |
| 1890 | 30.1 | +14.9% |
| 1895 | 34.4 | +14.3% |
| 1900 | 38.5 | +11.9% |
| 1905 | 43.3 | +12.5% |
| 1910 | 47.6 | +9.9% |
| 1915 | 52.6 | +10.5% |
| 1920 | 57.6 | +9.5% |
| 1925 | 62.7 | +8.9% |
| 1930 | 67.9 | +8.3% |
| 1935 | 75.6 | +11.3% |
| 1940 | 84.2 | +11.4% |
| 1945 | 90.3 | +7.2% |
| 1950 | 94.8 | +5.0% |
| 1955 | 95.5 | +0.7% |
| 1960 | 96 | +0.5% |
| 1965 | 96.6 | +0.6% |
| 1970 | 96.7 | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 96.7 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 98.1 | +1.4% |
| 1985 | 98.3 | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 98.3 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 95.9 | -2.4% |
| 2000 | 95.8 | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 99.4 | +3.8% |
| 2010 | 99.4 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 99.5 | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 99.6 | +0.1% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 99.6 is above the median for high income countries, which is 99, 1.0× the median. (41 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 99.6 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 98.95, 1.0× the median. (28 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 19.4 | 18.1 | 20.7 | 2 |
| 1880s | 24.8 | 23.4 | 26.2 | 2 |
| 1890s | 32.25 | 30.1 | 34.4 | 2 |
| 1900s | 40.9 | 38.5 | 43.3 | 2 |
| 1910s | 50.1 | 47.6 | 52.6 | 2 |
| 1920s | 60.15 | 57.6 | 62.7 | 2 |
| 1930s | 71.75 | 67.9 | 75.6 | 2 |
| 1940s | 87.25 | 84.2 | 90.3 | 2 |
| 1950s | 95.15 | 94.8 | 95.5 | 2 |
| 1960s | 96.3 | 96 | 96.6 | 2 |
| 1970s | 96.7 | 96.7 | 96.7 | 2 |
| 1980s | 98.2 | 98.1 | 98.3 | 2 |
| 1990s | 97.1 | 95.9 | 98.3 | 2 |
| 2000s | 97.6 | 95.8 | 99.4 | 2 |
| 2010s | 99.45 | 99.4 | 99.5 | 2 |
| 2020s | 99.6 | 99.6 | 99.6 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More education data for Ireland
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 99.47 (2022)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 98.19 (2022)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 32,531 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1,942 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 52,745 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 49,975 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 456,625 (2022)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 548,873 (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.49 % change on previous year (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population having attained at least basic education in Ireland?
- Population having attained at least basic education in Ireland was 99.6 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population having attained at least basic education recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 99.6 in 2020.
- What is the lowest population having attained at least basic education recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.1 in 1870.
- How does Ireland rank for population having attained at least basic education?
- Ireland ranks 12th out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is population having attained at least basic education rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland 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).