Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Yemen
Yemen: Share of children in primary school age who are in school was 69.4% in 2016. ◆ Volatile
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Yemen, 1820–2016
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Yemen recorded 69.4% for share of children in primary school age who are in school in 2016.
That represents a change of down 3.8% on the previous year and up 1.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children in primary school age who are in school in Yemen peaked at 72.1% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1820.
That places Yemen 194th out of 209 countries with data for 2016, putting it 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 Yemen, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 0.0% | — |
| 1825 | 0.0% | — |
| 1830 | 0.0% | — |
| 1835 | 0.0% | +0.0% |
| 1840 | 0.0% | +0.0% |
| 1845 | 0.0% | +0.0% |
| 1850 | 0.0% | +100.0% |
| 1855 | 0.0% | +0.0% |
| 1860 | 0.0% | +50.0% |
| 1865 | 0.0% | +33.3% |
| 1870 | 0.1% | +25.0% |
| 1875 | 0.1% | +20.0% |
| 1880 | 0.1% | +33.3% |
| 1885 | 0.1% | +37.5% |
| 1890 | 0.1% | +36.4% |
| 1895 | 0.2% | +26.7% |
| 1900 | 0.2% | +31.6% |
| 1905 | 0.3% | +32.0% |
| 1910 | 0.4% | +30.3% |
| 1915 | 0.6% | +30.2% |
| 1920 | 0.7% | +32.1% |
| 1925 | 1.0% | +31.1% |
| 1930 | 1.3% | +30.9% |
| 1935 | 1.7% | +30.7% |
| 1940 | 2.2% | +30.7% |
| 1945 | 2.8% | +30.4% |
| 1950 | 11.5% | +306.0% |
| 1955 | 20.2% | +75.5% |
| 1960 | 6.0% | -70.2% |
| 1965 | 6.8% | +12.5% |
| 1970 | 9.0% | +33.3% |
| 1975 | 21.8% | +141.7% |
| 1980 | 35.2% | +62.1% |
| 1999 | 50.1% | +42.1% |
| 2001 | 58.1% | +15.9% |
| 2003 | 64.5% | +11.1% |
| 2004 | 67.1% | +4.0% |
| 2005 | 68.6% | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 66.6% | -2.8% |
| 2010 | 70.1% | +5.2% |
| 2012 | 71.9% | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 72.1% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 69.4% | -3.8% |
Yemen compared with similar countries
- Yemen's 69.4% is below the median for low income countries, which is 69.5%, 100% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Yemen's 69.4% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 95.4%, 73% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Yemen 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | +306.0% | 2.8% | 11.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1830s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1840s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1850s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1860s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1870s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1880s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1890s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 2 |
| 1900s | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 2 |
| 1910s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 2 |
| 1920s | 0.9% | 0.7% | 1.0% | 2 |
| 1930s | 1.5% | 1.3% | 1.7% | 2 |
| 1940s | 2.5% | 2.2% | 2.8% | 2 |
| 1950s | 15.8% | 11.5% | 20.2% | 2 |
| 1960s | 6.4% | 6.0% | 6.8% | 2 |
| 1970s | 15.4% | 9.0% | 21.8% | 2 |
| 1980s | 35.2% | 35.2% | 35.2% | 1 |
| 1990s | 50.1% | 50.1% | 50.1% | 1 |
| 2000s | 65.0% | 58.1% | 68.6% | 5 |
| 2010s | 70.9% | 69.4% | 72.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Yemen
- 191 British Virgin Islands 73.0% compare
- 192 Solomon Islands 69.9% compare
- 193 Guinea-Bissau 69.5% compare
- 195 Lesotho 67.8% compare
- 196 Mali 66.0% compare
- 197 Burkina Faso 65.7% compare
More education data for Yemen
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 229,234 (2016)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 19,507 (2016)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 16,813 (2016)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.92 million (2016)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.90 million (2016)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 5.15 % change on previous year (2013)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2016)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1215 units per person (2016)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children in primary school age who are in school in Yemen?
- Share of children in primary school age who are in school in Yemen was 69.4% in 2016, 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 Yemen?
- The highest recorded value was 72.1% in 2013.
- What is the lowest share of children in primary school age who are in school recorded in Yemen?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1820.
- How does Yemen rank for share of children in primary school age who are in school?
- Yemen ranks 194th out of 209 countries with data for 2016.
- Is share of children in primary school age who are in school rising or falling in Yemen?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Yemen 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.