Population having attained at least basic education in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe: Population having attained at least basic education was 98.1 in 2020. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2020)
98.1
World rank
42nd
of 111 countries
All-time high
98.1
in 2020
All-time low
0
in 1870
Years of data
31
1870–2020

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

0204060801001870194520201870: 01875: 01880: 01885: 01890: 01895: 01900: 0.11905: 0.31910: 1.71915: 3.51920: 5.91925: 101930: 161935: 25.41940: 31.91945: 34.91950: 41.81955: 49.11960: 56.61965: 62.91970: 71.21975: 74.71980: 75.11985: 79.51990: 87.81995: 91.22000: 93.42005: 94.62010: 96.42015: 97.22020: 98.1

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

In 2020, population having attained at least basic education in Zimbabwe stood at 98.1. That is the highest value across all 31 years on record.

The figure is up 1.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population having attained at least basic education in Zimbabwe peaked at 98.1 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1870.

Zimbabwe ranks 42nd 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 Zimbabwe, year by year

Annual values for Population having attained at least basic education in Zimbabwe, 1870 to 2020.
Year Value Change
1870 0 —
1875 0 —
1880 0 —
1885 0 —
1890 0 —
1895 0 —
1900 0.1 —
1905 0.3 +200.0%
1910 1.7 +466.7%
1915 3.5 +105.9%
1920 5.9 +68.6%
1925 10 +69.5%
1930 16 +60.0%
1935 25.4 +58.7%
1940 31.9 +25.6%
1945 34.9 +9.4%
1950 41.8 +19.8%
1955 49.1 +17.5%
1960 56.6 +15.3%
1965 62.9 +11.1%
1970 71.2 +13.2%
1975 74.7 +4.9%
1980 75.1 +0.5%
1985 79.5 +5.9%
1990 87.8 +10.4%
1995 91.2 +3.9%
2000 93.4 +2.4%
2005 94.6 +1.3%
2010 96.4 +1.9%
2015 97.2 +0.8%
2020 98.1 +0.9%

Zimbabwe compared with similar countries

  • Zimbabwe's 98.1 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 85.2, 1.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
  • Zimbabwe's 98.1 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 78, 1.3× the median. (23 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Population having attained at least basic education in Zimbabwe 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
1910 +466.7% 0.3 1.7
1905 +200.0% 0.1 0.3

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1870s 0 0 0 2
1880s 0 0 0 2
1890s 0 0 0 2
1900s 0.2 0.1 0.3 2
1910s 2.6 1.7 3.5 2
1920s 7.95 5.9 10 2
1930s 20.7 16 25.4 2
1940s 33.4 31.9 34.9 2
1950s 45.45 41.8 49.1 2
1960s 59.75 56.6 62.9 2
1970s 72.95 71.2 74.7 2
1980s 77.3 75.1 79.5 2
1990s 89.5 87.8 91.2 2
2000s 94 93.4 94.6 2
2010s 96.8 96.4 97.2 2
2020s 98.1 98.1 98.1 1

Countries ranked near Zimbabwe

  1. 42 Austria 98.1 compare
  2. 42 South Africa 98.1 compare
  3. 45 Cuba 98 compare
  4. 45 Venezuela 98 compare

See the full ranking of 111 places →

More education data for Zimbabwe

All data for Zimbabwe →

Frequently asked questions

What is population having attained at least basic education in Zimbabwe?
Population having attained at least basic education in Zimbabwe was 98.1 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest population having attained at least basic education recorded in Zimbabwe?
The highest recorded value was 98.1 in 2020.
What is the lowest population having attained at least basic education recorded in Zimbabwe?
The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1870.
How does Zimbabwe rank for population having attained at least basic education?
Zimbabwe ranks 42nd out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
Is population having attained at least basic education rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
Over the last ten years it is up 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Zimbabwe 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 Zimbabwe. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 14 November 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/population-having-attained-at-least-basic-education/zimbabwe/

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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