School enrollment, primary (% gross) in Least developed countries
Least developed countries: School enrollment, primary (% gross) was 100.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
School enrollment, primary in Least developed countries, 1970–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % gross.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school enrollment, primary in Least developed countries is 100.7%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and down 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school enrollment, primary in Least developed countries peaked at 103.3% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 48.9%, in 1971.
Least developed countries ranks 18th of 45 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
School enrollment, primary (% gross) in Least developed countries, year by year
| Year | % gross | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 51.4% | — |
| 1971 | 48.9% | -5.0% |
| 1972 | 51.7% | +5.7% |
| 1973 | 54.7% | +5.8% |
| 1974 | 55.3% | +1.2% |
| 1975 | 57.9% | +4.6% |
| 1976 | 60.2% | +4.1% |
| 1977 | 61.7% | +2.4% |
| 1978 | 63.3% | +2.6% |
| 1979 | 64.4% | +1.8% |
| 1980 | 65.9% | +2.2% |
| 1981 | 67.2% | +2.0% |
| 1982 | 67.6% | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 68.0% | +0.6% |
| 1984 | 67.6% | -0.5% |
| 1985 | 65.9% | -2.6% |
| 1986 | 65.8% | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 65.0% | -1.3% |
| 1988 | 67.2% | +3.5% |
| 1989 | 66.8% | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 65.8% | -1.6% |
| 1991 | 67.7% | +3.0% |
| 1992 | 68.0% | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 69.1% | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 70.2% | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 71.8% | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 72.3% | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 74.8% | +3.4% |
| 1998 | 75.2% | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 74.8% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 76.8% | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 79.0% | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 83.5% | +5.8% |
| 2003 | 86.6% | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 89.0% | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 91.2% | +2.5% |
| 2006 | 93.5% | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 95.1% | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 97.7% | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 98.3% | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 98.7% | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 100.3% | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 100.9% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 100.7% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 101.1% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 100.0% | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 100.4% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 101.0% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 102.0% | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 102.8% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 103.3% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 102.4% | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 100.3% | -2.1% |
| 2023 | 100.3% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 100.7% | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 56.9% | 48.9% | 64.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 66.7% | 65.0% | 68.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 71.0% | 65.8% | 75.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 89.1% | 76.8% | 98.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 100.8% | 98.7% | 102.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 101.4% | 100.3% | 103.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Least developed countries
- 15 East Timor 119.7% compare
- 16 Mozambique 119.2% compare
- 17 Democratic Republic of Congo 117.6% compare
- 18 Morocco 116.6% compare
- 19 Eswatini 116.5% compare
- 20 New Caledonia 116.0% compare
- 21 Zambia 115.6% compare
More education data for Least developed countries
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 75.92 million (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1441 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 4.43 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.04 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 171.01 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 38.4% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 57.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school enrollment, primary in Least developed countries?
- School enrollment, primary in Least developed countries was 100.7% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest school enrollment, primary recorded in Least developed countries?
- The highest recorded value was 103.3% in 2020.
- What is the lowest school enrollment, primary recorded in Least developed countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.9% in 1971.
- How does Least developed countries rank for school enrollment, primary?
- Least developed countries ranks 18th out of 45 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school enrollment, primary rising or falling in Least developed countries?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Least developed countries data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of School enrollment, primary (% gross). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Gross enrollment ratio is the ratio of total enrollment, regardless of age, to the population of the age group that officially corresponds to the level of education shown. Primary education provides children with basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills along with an elementary understanding of such subjects as history, geography, natural science, social science, art, and music.