Primary education, duration in Least developed countries: UN classification

Least developed countries: UN classification: Primary education, duration was 6 years in 2025. ▬ Flat

Latest (2025)
6 years
Change on year
unchanged
Rank
2nd
of 46 groups
All-time high
6 years
in 1970
All-time low
6 years
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025

Primary education, duration in Least developed countries: UN classification, 1970–2025

0246197019972025

Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in years.

Analysis

The most recent figure for primary education, duration in Least developed countries: UN classification is 6 years, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.

Over the whole period, primary education, duration in Least developed countries: UN classification peaked at 6 years in 1970 and was at its lowest, 6 years, in 1970.

Least developed countries: UN classification ranks 2nd of 46 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 6 years 6 years 6 years 10
1980s 6 years 6 years 6 years 10
1990s 6 years 6 years 6 years 10
2000s 6 years 6 years 6 years 10
2010s 6 years 6 years 6 years 10
2020s 6 years 6 years 6 years 6

Countries ranked near Least developed countries: UN classification

  1. 1 Guam 8 years compare
  2. 1 Ireland 8 years compare
  3. 3 Antigua and Barbuda 7 years compare
  4. 3 Australia 7 years compare
  5. 3 Botswana 7 years compare
  6. 3 British Virgin Islands 7 years compare
  7. 3 Denmark 7 years compare
  8. 3 Dominica 7 years compare
  9. 3 Eswatini 7 years compare
  10. 3 Grenada 7 years compare
  11. 3 Iceland 7 years compare
  12. 3 Lesotho 7 years compare
  13. 3 Mozambique 7 years compare
  14. 3 Namibia 7 years compare
  15. 3 Norway 7 years compare
  16. 3 South Africa 7 years compare
  17. 3 Saint Kitts and Nevis 7 years compare
  18. 3 Saint Lucia 7 years compare
  19. 3 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7 years compare
  20. 3 Tanzania 7 years compare
  21. 3 Trinidad and Tobago 7 years compare
  22. 3 Uganda 7 years compare
  23. 3 Zambia 7 years compare
  24. 3 Zimbabwe 7 years compare

See the full ranking of 256 places →

More education data for Least developed countries: UN classification

All data for Least developed countries: UN classification →

Frequently asked questions

What is primary education, duration in Least developed countries: UN classification?
Primary education, duration in Least developed countries: UN classification was 6 years in 2025, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest primary education, duration recorded in Least developed countries: UN classification?
The highest recorded value was 6 years in 1970.
What is the lowest primary education, duration recorded in Least developed countries: UN classification?
The lowest recorded value was 6 years in 1970.
How does Least developed countries: UN classification rank for primary education, duration?
Least developed countries: UN classification ranks 2nd out of 46 groups with data for 2025.
Is primary education, duration rising or falling in Least developed countries: UN classification?
Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Least developed countries: UN classification data come from?
The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Primary education, duration (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).

About this data

Indicator
Primary education, duration (years)
Unit
years
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
256 places, 14,114 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

Primary duration refers to the number of grades (years) in primary school.