Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Paraguay
Paraguay: Share of children in primary school age who are in school was 86.7% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Paraguay, 1820–2024
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 Paraguay is 86.7%, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 1.0% on the previous year and down 12.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children in primary school age who are in school in Paraguay peaked at 99.6% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 1820.
Paraguay ranks 168th of 209 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Paraguay, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 0.4% | — |
| 1825 | 0.5% | +28.9% |
| 1830 | 0.6% | +26.5% |
| 1835 | 0.8% | +27.4% |
| 1840 | 1.0% | +27.8% |
| 1845 | 1.3% | +26.7% |
| 1850 | 1.6% | +27.3% |
| 1855 | 2.1% | +27.6% |
| 1860 | 2.6% | +26.9% |
| 1865 | 3.4% | +26.9% |
| 1870 | 4.2% | +26.6% |
| 1875 | 5.3% | +26.2% |
| 1880 | 6.7% | +26.0% |
| 1885 | 8.5% | +25.5% |
| 1890 | 15.7% | +85.7% |
| 1895 | 18.6% | +18.5% |
| 1900 | 19.8% | +6.3% |
| 1905 | 20.6% | +4.2% |
| 1910 | 21.2% | +3.0% |
| 1915 | 40.2% | +89.1% |
| 1920 | 34.9% | -13.3% |
| 1925 | 35.3% | +1.4% |
| 1930 | 44.5% | +25.8% |
| 1935 | 38.5% | -13.5% |
| 1940 | 60.1% | +56.2% |
| 1945 | 58.5% | -2.7% |
| 1950 | 66.4% | +13.5% |
| 1955 | 82.0% | +23.5% |
| 1960 | 79.8% | -2.7% |
| 1965 | 83.0% | +4.1% |
| 1970 | 84.8% | +2.1% |
| 1972 | 73.2% | -13.6% |
| 1973 | 84.7% | +15.6% |
| 1975 | 82.4% | -2.6% |
| 1976 | 84.3% | +2.2% |
| 1977 | 85.9% | +2.0% |
| 1978 | 88.2% | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 89.9% | +1.9% |
| 1980 | 92.1% | +2.5% |
| 1981 | 93.6% | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 93.9% | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 94.0% | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 94.8% | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 94.3% | -0.5% |
| 1987 | 95.6% | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 97.3% | +1.9% |
| 1989 | 98.9% | +1.6% |
| 1990 | 99.5% | +0.6% |
| 1991 | 99.6% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 90.9% | -8.7% |
| 1993 | 99.6% | +9.6% |
| 1994 | 95.3% | -4.3% |
| 1995 | 94.4% | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 97.3% | +3.1% |
| 1999 | 99.3% | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 99.2% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 99.2% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 99.3% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 99.4% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 99.3% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 99.2% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 99.3% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 99.4% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 98.8% | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 97.9% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 98.4% | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 98.5% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 98.5% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 89.7% | -8.9% |
| 2020 | 88.0% | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 87.7% | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 87.8% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 87.6% | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 86.7% | -1.0% |
Paraguay compared with similar countries
- Paraguay's 86.7% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 96.0%, 90% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Paraguay's 86.7% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 95.1%, 91% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Paraguay 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1915 | +89.1% | 21.2% | 40.2% |
| 1890 | +85.7% | 8.5% | 15.7% |
| 1940 | +56.2% | 38.5% | 60.1% |
| 1825 | +28.9% | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| 1840 | +27.8% | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| 1855 | +27.6% | 1.6% | 2.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 2 |
| 1830s | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.8% | 2 |
| 1840s | 1.1% | 1.0% | 1.3% | 2 |
| 1850s | 1.9% | 1.6% | 2.1% | 2 |
| 1860s | 3.0% | 2.6% | 3.4% | 2 |
| 1870s | 4.8% | 4.2% | 5.3% | 2 |
| 1880s | 7.6% | 6.7% | 8.5% | 2 |
| 1890s | 17.2% | 15.7% | 18.6% | 2 |
| 1900s | 20.2% | 19.8% | 20.6% | 2 |
| 1910s | 30.7% | 21.2% | 40.2% | 2 |
| 1920s | 35.1% | 34.9% | 35.3% | 2 |
| 1930s | 41.5% | 38.5% | 44.5% | 2 |
| 1940s | 59.3% | 58.5% | 60.1% | 2 |
| 1950s | 74.2% | 66.4% | 82.0% | 2 |
| 1960s | 81.4% | 79.8% | 83.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 84.2% | 73.2% | 89.9% | 8 |
| 1980s | 94.9% | 92.1% | 98.9% | 9 |
| 1990s | 97.0% | 90.9% | 99.6% | 8 |
| 2000s | 99.1% | 97.9% | 99.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 96.3% | 89.7% | 98.5% | 4 |
| 2020s | 87.5% | 86.7% | 88.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Paraguay
- 165 Cote d'Ivoire 87.4% compare
- 166 Ukraine 87.1% compare
- 167 Puerto Rico 86.7% compare
- 169 Guinea 85.3% compare
- 170 El Salvador 84.7% compare
- 171 Romania 84.4% compare
More education data for Paraguay
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 34,286 (2012)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 12,773 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 109,864 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 106,763 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 570,654 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 710,209 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.4674 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1025 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children in primary school age who are in school in Paraguay?
- Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Paraguay was 86.7% in 2024, 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 Paraguay?
- The highest recorded value was 99.6% in 1993.
- What is the lowest share of children in primary school age who are in school recorded in Paraguay?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 1820.
- How does Paraguay rank for share of children in primary school age who are in school?
- Paraguay ranks 168th out of 209 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children in primary school age who are in school rising or falling in Paraguay?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Paraguay 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.
Download this data
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About this data
Share of children of primary school age (typically 6–11 years) who are enrolled in primary education.