Share of children who have completed primary school in Mauritania
Mauritania: Share of children who have completed primary school was 51.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of children who have completed primary school in Mauritania, 1981–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of children who have completed primary school in Mauritania stood at 51.8%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 13.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children who have completed primary school in Mauritania peaked at 51.8% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 24.3%, in 1981.
Mauritania ranks 156th of 165 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Share of children who have completed primary school in Mauritania, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 24.3% | — |
| 1982 | 24.7% | +1.7% |
| 1983 | 25.1% | +1.5% |
| 1984 | 25.5% | +1.7% |
| 1985 | 26.0% | +1.8% |
| 1986 | 26.3% | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 26.8% | +1.7% |
| 1988 | 27.1% | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 27.5% | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 27.7% | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 27.9% | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 28.1% | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 28.4% | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 28.9% | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 29.4% | +1.5% |
| 1996 | 29.8% | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 30.3% | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 30.7% | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 31.2% | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 31.6% | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 31.9% | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 32.1% | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 32.2% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 32.3% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 32.5% | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 33.1% | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 34.1% | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 35.5% | +4.0% |
| 2009 | 37.2% | +4.7% |
| 2010 | 38.9% | +4.8% |
| 2011 | 40.7% | +4.6% |
| 2012 | 42.4% | +4.0% |
| 2013 | 43.7% | +3.2% |
| 2014 | 44.9% | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 45.8% | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 46.6% | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 47.2% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 47.8% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 48.3% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 48.8% | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 49.3% | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 49.9% | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 50.4% | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 51.1% | +1.4% |
| 2025 | 51.8% | +1.3% |
Mauritania compared with similar countries
- Mauritania's 51.8% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 86.1%, 60% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Mauritania's 51.8% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 72.2%, 72% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 25.9% | 24.3% | 27.5% | 9 |
| 1990s | 29.2% | 27.7% | 31.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 33.3% | 31.6% | 37.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 44.6% | 38.9% | 48.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 50.2% | 48.8% | 51.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Mauritania
- 153 Afghanistan 55.4% compare
- 154 Madagascar 54.0% compare
- 155 Mozambique 53.5% compare
- 157 Haiti 50.5% compare
- 158 Mali 50.0% compare
- 159 Chad 37.8% compare
More education data for Mauritania
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 9,029 (2020)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 52,338 (2020)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 258,591 (2020)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 891,821 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.49 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1725 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 891,821 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children who have completed primary school in Mauritania?
- Share of children who have completed primary school in Mauritania was 51.8% in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of children who have completed primary school recorded in Mauritania?
- The highest recorded value was 51.8% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of children who have completed primary school recorded in Mauritania?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.3% in 1981.
- How does Mauritania rank for share of children who have completed primary school?
- Mauritania ranks 156th out of 165 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of children who have completed primary school rising or falling in Mauritania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Mauritania data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of children who have completed primary school. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of children who are three to five years older than the official age for the last grade of primary education who have successfully completed it. This broader age band is used to include children who started school late or had to resit particular years.