Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Italy
Italy: Share of children in primary school age who are in school was 97.9% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Italy, 1820–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of children in primary school age who are in school in Italy is 97.9%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.5% on the previous year and down 1.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children in primary school age who are in school in Italy peaked at 100.0% in 1935 and was at its lowest, 15.3%, in 1820.
Italy ranks 77th of 209 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Italy, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 15.3% | — |
| 1825 | 17.5% | +14.1% |
| 1830 | 19.9% | +13.6% |
| 1835 | 22.5% | +13.2% |
| 1840 | 25.4% | +12.7% |
| 1845 | 28.4% | +12.2% |
| 1850 | 31.8% | +11.6% |
| 1855 | 35.3% | +11.1% |
| 1860 | 39.0% | +10.4% |
| 1865 | 37.5% | -3.6% |
| 1870 | 49.8% | +32.5% |
| 1875 | 57.0% | +14.6% |
| 1880 | 60.5% | +6.1% |
| 1885 | 62.4% | +3.2% |
| 1890 | 64.0% | +2.6% |
| 1895 | 65.7% | +2.6% |
| 1900 | 68.3% | +4.1% |
| 1905 | 71.1% | +4.1% |
| 1910 | 78.8% | +10.8% |
| 1915 | 79.9% | +1.3% |
| 1920 | 79.1% | -1.0% |
| 1925 | 78.3% | -1.0% |
| 1930 | 96.8% | +23.7% |
| 1935 | 100.0% | +3.3% |
| 1940 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 94.8% | -5.2% |
| 1950 | 98.6% | +4.0% |
| 1955 | 92.7% | -6.0% |
| 1960 | 100.0% | +7.9% |
| 1965 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 98.0% | -2.0% |
| 1980 | 96.7% | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 99.8% | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 99.8% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 99.7% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 99.8% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 99.6% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 99.6% | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 99.6% | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 99.6% | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 99.7% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 99.8% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 99.7% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 99.7% | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 99.1% | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 98.8% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 98.5% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 98.3% | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 98.4% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 98.4% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 98.4% | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 98.5% | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 97.9% | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 97.5% | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 97.9% | +0.5% |
Italy compared with similar countries
- Italy's 97.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 98.2%, 100% of the median. (74 countries reporting)
- Italy's 97.9% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 98.6%, 99% of the median. (51 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Italy 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.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | +32.5% | 37.5% | 49.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 16.4% | 15.3% | 17.5% | 2 |
| 1830s | 21.2% | 19.9% | 22.5% | 2 |
| 1840s | 26.9% | 25.4% | 28.4% | 2 |
| 1850s | 33.5% | 31.8% | 35.3% | 2 |
| 1860s | 38.3% | 37.5% | 39.0% | 2 |
| 1870s | 53.4% | 49.8% | 57.0% | 2 |
| 1880s | 61.4% | 60.5% | 62.4% | 2 |
| 1890s | 64.8% | 64.0% | 65.7% | 2 |
| 1900s | 69.7% | 68.3% | 71.1% | 2 |
| 1910s | 79.4% | 78.8% | 79.9% | 2 |
| 1920s | 78.7% | 78.3% | 79.1% | 2 |
| 1930s | 98.4% | 96.8% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1940s | 97.4% | 94.8% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1950s | 95.6% | 92.7% | 98.6% | 2 |
| 1960s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 99.0% | 98.0% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1980s | 96.7% | 96.7% | 96.7% | 1 |
| 2000s | 99.7% | 99.6% | 99.8% | 9 |
| 2010s | 98.9% | 98.3% | 99.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 98.0% | 97.5% | 98.5% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Italy
More education data for Italy
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 423,797 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 6,592 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 667,641 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 620,157 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.61 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.63 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.167 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0445 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children in primary school age who are in school in Italy?
- Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Italy was 97.9% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of children in primary school age who are in school recorded in Italy?
- The highest recorded value was 100.0% in 1935.
- What is the lowest share of children in primary school age who are in school recorded in Italy?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.3% in 1820.
- How does Italy rank for share of children in primary school age who are in school?
- Italy ranks 77th out of 209 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of children in primary school age who are in school rising or falling in Italy?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Italy data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of children in primary school age who are in school. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of children of primary school age (typically 6–11 years) who are enrolled in primary education.