Population having attained at least basic education in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Population having attained at least basic education was 97.3 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2020)
97.3
World rank
52nd
of 111 countries
All-time high
97.3
in 2020
All-time low
4.7
in 1870
Years of data
31
1870–2020
Population having attained at least basic education in Sri Lanka, 1870–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2020, population having attained at least basic education in Sri Lanka stood at 97.3. That is the highest value across all 31 years on record.
The figure is up 0.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population having attained at least basic education in Sri Lanka peaked at 97.3 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 4.7, in 1870.
Sri Lanka ranks 52nd 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 Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 4.7 | — |
| 1875 | 5.2 | +10.6% |
| 1880 | 5.8 | +11.5% |
| 1885 | 7.2 | +24.1% |
| 1890 | 9.3 | +29.2% |
| 1895 | 12 | +29.0% |
| 1900 | 15 | +25.0% |
| 1905 | 18.1 | +20.7% |
| 1910 | 24.1 | +33.1% |
| 1915 | 30.1 | +24.9% |
| 1920 | 34.8 | +15.6% |
| 1925 | 43.6 | +25.3% |
| 1930 | 48.9 | +12.2% |
| 1935 | 54.6 | +11.7% |
| 1940 | 58.9 | +7.9% |
| 1945 | 63.4 | +7.6% |
| 1950 | 66 | +4.1% |
| 1955 | 69.1 | +4.7% |
| 1960 | 72 | +4.2% |
| 1965 | 74.9 | +4.0% |
| 1970 | 83.6 | +11.6% |
| 1975 | 85.6 | +2.4% |
| 1980 | 87.9 | +2.7% |
| 1985 | 87.9 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 91.3 | +3.9% |
| 1995 | 92.2 | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 92.8 | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 94.9 | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 97 | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 97 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 97.3 | +0.3% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 97.3 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 97.4, 100% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 4.95 | 4.7 | 5.2 | 2 |
| 1880s | 6.5 | 5.8 | 7.2 | 2 |
| 1890s | 10.65 | 9.3 | 12 | 2 |
| 1900s | 16.55 | 15 | 18.1 | 2 |
| 1910s | 27.1 | 24.1 | 30.1 | 2 |
| 1920s | 39.2 | 34.8 | 43.6 | 2 |
| 1930s | 51.75 | 48.9 | 54.6 | 2 |
| 1940s | 61.15 | 58.9 | 63.4 | 2 |
| 1950s | 67.55 | 66 | 69.1 | 2 |
| 1960s | 73.45 | 72 | 74.9 | 2 |
| 1970s | 84.6 | 83.6 | 85.6 | 2 |
| 1980s | 87.9 | 87.9 | 87.9 | 2 |
| 1990s | 91.75 | 91.3 | 92.2 | 2 |
| 2000s | 93.85 | 92.8 | 94.9 | 2 |
| 2010s | 97 | 97 | 97 | 2 |
| 2020s | 97.3 | 97.3 | 97.3 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More education data for Sri Lanka
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 91.41 (2023)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 90.86 (2023)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 155,543 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 224,799 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 214,300 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.54 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.58 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.89 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population having attained at least basic education in Sri Lanka?
- Population having attained at least basic education in Sri Lanka was 97.3 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population having attained at least basic education recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 97.3 in 2020.
- What is the lowest population having attained at least basic education recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.7 in 1870.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for population having attained at least basic education?
- Sri Lanka ranks 52nd out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is population having attained at least basic education rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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).