Population having attained at least basic education in New Zealand
New Zealand: Population having attained at least basic education was 98.3 in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
98.3
World rank
36th
of 111 countries
All-time high
99.9
in 1990
All-time low
70.9
in 1870
Years of data
31
1870–2020
Population having attained at least basic education in New Zealand, 1870–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2020, population having attained at least basic education in New Zealand stood at 98.3.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population having attained at least basic education in New Zealand peaked at 99.9 in 1990 and was at its lowest, 70.9, in 1870.
That places New Zealand 36th out of 111 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 31 years of available data.
Population having attained at least basic education in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 70.9 | — |
| 1875 | 72.3 | +2.0% |
| 1880 | 74.6 | +3.2% |
| 1885 | 78.2 | +4.8% |
| 1890 | 81.2 | +3.8% |
| 1895 | 84.4 | +3.9% |
| 1900 | 87.1 | +3.2% |
| 1905 | 90.2 | +3.6% |
| 1910 | 91.1 | +1.0% |
| 1915 | 93.2 | +2.3% |
| 1920 | 94.8 | +1.7% |
| 1925 | 95.7 | +0.9% |
| 1930 | 97 | +1.4% |
| 1935 | 97.7 | +0.7% |
| 1940 | 97.7 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 98 | +0.3% |
| 1950 | 98.3 | +0.3% |
| 1955 | 98.5 | +0.2% |
| 1960 | 98.4 | -0.1% |
| 1965 | 98.1 | -0.3% |
| 1970 | 98.3 | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 99.5 | +1.2% |
| 1980 | 99.3 | -0.2% |
| 1985 | 99.7 | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 99.9 | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 99.9 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 99.9 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 99.8 | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 98.9 | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 98.6 | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 98.3 | -0.3% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 98.3 is below the median for high income countries, which is 99, 99% of the median. (41 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 98.3 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 98.3, 1.0× the median. (13 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 71.6 | 70.9 | 72.3 | 2 |
| 1880s | 76.4 | 74.6 | 78.2 | 2 |
| 1890s | 82.8 | 81.2 | 84.4 | 2 |
| 1900s | 88.65 | 87.1 | 90.2 | 2 |
| 1910s | 92.15 | 91.1 | 93.2 | 2 |
| 1920s | 95.25 | 94.8 | 95.7 | 2 |
| 1930s | 97.35 | 97 | 97.7 | 2 |
| 1940s | 97.85 | 97.7 | 98 | 2 |
| 1950s | 98.4 | 98.3 | 98.5 | 2 |
| 1960s | 98.25 | 98.1 | 98.4 | 2 |
| 1970s | 98.9 | 98.3 | 99.5 | 2 |
| 1980s | 99.5 | 99.3 | 99.7 | 2 |
| 1990s | 99.9 | 99.9 | 99.9 | 2 |
| 2000s | 99.85 | 99.8 | 99.9 | 2 |
| 2010s | 98.75 | 98.6 | 98.9 | 2 |
| 2020s | 98.3 | 98.3 | 98.3 | 1 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More education data for New Zealand
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 97.48 (2024)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 97.38 (2024)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 36,426 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 12,020 (1992)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 56,552 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 53,804 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 562,417 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 383,018 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.15 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population having attained at least basic education in New Zealand?
- Population having attained at least basic education in New Zealand was 98.3 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population having attained at least basic education recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 99.9 in 1990.
- What is the lowest population having attained at least basic education recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 70.9 in 1870.
- How does New Zealand rank for population having attained at least basic education?
- New Zealand ranks 36th out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is population having attained at least basic education rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand 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
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