School enrollment, primary (% net) by country
Net enrollment rate is the ratio of children of official school age who are enrolled in school to the population of the corresponding official school age. Primary education provides children with basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills along with an elementary understanding of such subjects as history,...
What the numbers show
School enrollment, primary (% net) is currently reported for 182 countries. The highest value is 99.9% in Norway; the lowest is 14.5% in Somalia.
The median across all reporting countries is 93.6%, and the mean is 89.1%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 7.
Over the past decade 105 countries rose and 70 fell. The largest increase was in Angola (up 72.1%), and the largest decrease in Democratic Republic of Congo (down 43.0%).
School enrollment, primary: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norway | 99.9% | 2017 | up 0.8% | flat |
| 2 | Canada | 99.9% | 2017 | up 0.4% | rising |
| 3 | Iceland | 99.8% | 2017 | up 1.8% | flat |
| 4 | Iran | 99.7% | 2017 | up 4.8% | rising |
| 5 | Gibraltar | 99.7% | 2016 | — | rising |
| 6 | Malaysia | 99.6% | 2017 | up 4.8% | rising |
| 8 | United Kingdom | 99.5% | 2017 | up 3.1% | flat |
| 9 | French Polynesia | 99.4% | 1996 | up 6.5% | rising |
| 10 | Uruguay | 99.4% | 2017 | up 1.1% | rising |
| 11 | Aruba | 99.2% | 2014 | up 4.9% | flat |
| 12 | Argentina | 99.2% | 2017 | up 0.0% | flat |
| 13 | Sweden | 99.2% | 2017 | up 3.0% | flat |
| 14 | New Zealand | 99.1% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 15 | Sri Lanka | 99.1% | 2018 | up 3.9% | rising |
| 16 | Morocco | 99.1% | 2018 | up 10.3% | rising |
| 17 | France | 98.9% | 2017 | up 0.4% | flat |
| 18 | Belgium | 98.8% | 2017 | up 1.8% | flat |
| 19 | Netherlands | 98.6% | 2017 | down 0.7% | rising |
| 20 | Finland | 98.6% | 2017 | up 1.4% | rising |
| 21 | Denmark | 98.5% | 2017 | up 2.1% | flat |
| 22 | Tajikistan | 98.3% | 2017 | up 0.9% | flat |
| 23 | Slovenia | 98.3% | 2017 | up 0.3% | rising |
| 24 | Greece | 98.2% | 2017 | up 3.0% | flat |
| 25 | Lithuania | 98.2% | 2017 | up 2.5% | flat |
| 26 | Sierra Leone | 98.1% | 2016 | — | rising |
| 27 | Thailand | 98.1% | 2009 | — | rising |
| 28 | Libya | 98.1% | 1983 | up 7.7% | rising |
| 29 | Vietnam | 98.0% | 2013 | up 4.7% | flat |
| 30 | Myanmar | 97.9% | 2018 | up 9.0% | rising |
| 31 | Tunisia | 97.8% | 2013 | down 0.1% | rising |
| 32 | Cuba | 97.7% | 2018 | up 1.5% | flat |
| 33 | Mongolia | 97.7% | 2018 | up 11.4% | rising |
| 34 | Malawi | 97.6% | 2009 | up 0.1% | flat |
| 35 | Algeria | 97.6% | 2018 | up 1.3% | rising |
| 36 | Portugal | 97.6% | 2017 | down 0.2% | flat |
| 37 | Cyprus | 97.5% | 2017 | down 1.6% | rising |
| 38 | Namibia | 97.5% | 2018 | up 7.9% | rising |
| 39 | Costa Rica | 97.3% | 2018 | down 1.1% | rising |
| 40 | Spain | 97.3% | 2017 | down 2.6% | flat |
| 41 | South Korea | 97.3% | 2017 | down 2.2% | flat |
| 42 | Benin | 97.2% | 2018 | up 7.8% | rising |
| 43 | Egypt | 97.0% | 2018 | up 5.0% | rising |
| 44 | Israel | 97.0% | 2017 | down 0.2% | flat |
| 45 | Fiji | 96.8% | 2016 | down 2.4% | flat |
| 46 | Bahrain | 96.7% | 2018 | up 6.9% | rising |
| 47 | Barbados | 96.7% | 2018 | down 0.0% | flat |
| 48 | Montenegro | 96.5% | 2018 | up 0.6% | flat |
| 49 | Georgia | 96.4% | 2018 | down 1.9% | flat |
| 50 | Macao | 96.4% | 2018 | up 12.1% | rising |
| 51 | Australia | 96.4% | 2017 | down 0.0% | flat |
| 52 | Latvia | 96.3% | 2017 | up 0.3% | flat |
| 53 | Brazil | 96.3% | 2017 | up 5.1% | flat |
| 54 | Nepal | 96.3% | 2019 | down 2.9% | rising |
| 55 | Belize | 95.9% | 2018 | up 2.3% | flat |
| 56 | Grenada | 95.9% | 2018 | up 2.4% | flat |
| 57 | Poland | 95.8% | 2017 | up 2.8% | flat |
| 59 | Antigua and Barbuda | 95.7% | 2018 | down 1.0% | flat |
| 60 | Italy | 95.7% | 2017 | down 2.8% | flat |
| 61 | Peru | 95.7% | 2018 | down 0.8% | rising |
| 62 | Madagascar | 95.6% | 2018 | up 23.0% | rising |
| 63 | Uganda | 95.5% | 2013 | — | rising |
| 64 | Hong Kong | 95.5% | 2018 | up 1.3% | flat |
| 65 | Dominica | 95.4% | 2016 | up 16.5% | flat |
| 66 | Maldives | 95.4% | 2017 | down 1.3% | flat |
| 67 | Saint Lucia | 95.4% | 2018 | up 2.3% | flat |
| 68 | Mexico | 95.3% | 2017 | down 2.8% | rising |
| 69 | Trinidad and Tobago | 95.3% | 2010 | up 1.5% | flat |
| 70 | Russia | 95.1% | 2017 | up 5.2% | flat |
| 72 | United Arab Emirates | 95.0% | 2017 | up 9.6% | rising |
| 73 | Belarus | 94.9% | 2018 | up 6.0% | rising |
| 74 | Nicaragua | 94.9% | 2010 | up 17.1% | rising |
| 75 | North Macedonia | 94.9% | 2017 | up 10.4% | flat |
| 76 | Palestine | 94.8% | 2018 | up 13.3% | rising |
| 77 | Mauritius | 94.8% | 2018 | down 1.9% | rising |
| 78 | Rwanda | 94.8% | 2018 | up 10.9% | rising |
| 79 | Chile | 94.7% | 2017 | down 0.7% | flat |
| 80 | Kiribati | 94.7% | 2017 | — | flat |
| 81 | United States | 94.6% | 2017 | down 0.2% | flat |
| 82 | Uzbekistan | 94.6% | 2018 | up 6.7% | rising |
| 83 | Serbia | 94.6% | 2018 | down 2.5% | flat |
| 84 | Saudi Arabia | 94.5% | 2018 | up 3.5% | rising |
| 85 | Albania | 94.5% | 2018 | up 8.9% | flat |
| 86 | Samoa | 94.4% | 2018 | down 4.0% | rising |
| 87 | Zimbabwe | 94.1% | 2013 | up 5.9% | falling |
| 88 | Qatar | 94.1% | 2018 | up 1.4% | flat |
| 89 | Mozambique | 93.9% | 2018 | up 7.2% | rising |
| 90 | San Marino | 93.9% | 2004 | up 1.3% | falling |
| 91 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 93.8% | 2016 | down 3.6% | flat |
| 92 | Philippines | 93.8% | 2017 | up 7.7% | flat |
| 93 | Nauru | 93.7% | 2016 | up 20.9% | flat |
| 94 | Estonia | 93.7% | 2017 | down 0.8% | flat |
| 95 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 93.6% | 2017 | down 2.2% | flat |
| 96 | Indonesia | 93.5% | 2018 | up 0.4% | rising |
| 97 | Cape Verde | 93.4% | 2018 | down 2.8% | flat |
| 98 | Lesotho | 93.3% | 2017 | up 10.3% | rising |
| 99 | Switzerland | 93.2% | 2017 | down 0.1% | rising |
| 100 | Brunei | 93.1% | 2018 | down 0.0% | rising |
| 101 | Guyana | 93.1% | 2012 | up 1.9% | flat |
| 102 | Sao Tome and Principe | 93.1% | 2017 | up 3.8% | flat |
| 103 | Colombia | 92.9% | 2018 | up 0.2% | rising |
| 104 | Cameroon | 92.9% | 2017 | up 11.8% | rising |
| 105 | Bolivia | 92.9% | 2018 | down 1.3% | falling |
| 106 | Burundi | 92.8% | 2018 | up 0.5% | rising |
| 107 | Iraq | 92.8% | 2007 | up 21.9% | rising |
| 108 | Bermuda | 92.7% | 2012 | down 4.4% | rising |
| 109 | Dominican Republic | 92.7% | 2018 | up 10.3% | rising |
| 110 | Azerbaijan | 92.4% | 2018 | up 10.2% | flat |
| 111 | East Timor | 92.3% | 2018 | up 11.2% | rising |
| 112 | India | 92.3% | 2013 | up 10.4% | rising |
| 113 | Seychelles | 92.2% | 2018 | down 3.4% | rising |
| 115 | Ukraine | 91.7% | 2014 | up 4.1% | flat |
| 116 | Laos | 91.5% | 2018 | up 4.3% | rising |
| 117 | British Virgin Islands | 91.1% | 2014 | down 4.4% | flat |
| 118 | Ecuador | 90.9% | 2018 | down 3.8% | rising |
| 119 | Hungary | 90.8% | 2017 | up 1.2% | rising |
| 120 | Togo | 90.7% | 2018 | up 2.0% | rising |
| 121 | Armenia | 90.7% | 2018 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 122 | Bangladesh | 90.5% | 2010 | down 3.4% | rising |
| 123 | Cote d'Ivoire | 90.3% | 2018 | up 61.8% | rising |
| 124 | Cambodia | 90.3% | 2018 | down 4.6% | rising |
| 125 | Germany | 90.1% | 2017 | up 1.6% | rising |
| 126 | Kyrgyzstan | 89.9% | 2018 | up 2.8% | flat |
| 127 | Czechia | 89.4% | 2017 | up 0.1% | flat |
| 128 | China | 89.3% | 1997 | down 3.8% | falling |
| 129 | Austria | 88.6% | 2017 | up 0.5% | flat |
| 130 | Croatia | 88.0% | 2017 | down 1.9% | flat |
| 131 | Bhutan | 88.0% | 2018 | up 10.8% | rising |
| 132 | Turkey | 87.9% | 2017 | down 10.8% | flat |
| 133 | Congo | 87.9% | 2012 | up 69.6% | falling |
| 134 | Botswana | 87.7% | 2014 | down 0.9% | rising |
| 135 | Venezuela | 87.4% | 2017 | down 5.0% | rising |
| 136 | Paraguay | 87.2% | 2012 | down 7.8% | rising |
| 137 | South Africa | 87.0% | 2017 | down 1.8% | rising |
| 138 | Guatemala | 86.9% | 2018 | down 7.3% | rising |
| 139 | Kazakhstan | 86.9% | 2019 | down 2.9% | falling |
| 140 | Bulgaria | 86.4% | 2017 | down 11.6% | flat |
| 141 | Moldova | 86.3% | 2018 | down 1.6% | falling |
| 142 | Oman | 86.3% | 2018 | down 7.2% | rising |
| 143 | Panama | 86.2% | 2017 | down 12.0% | rising |
| 144 | Ghana | 86.2% | 2019 | up 19.1% | rising |
| 145 | Suriname | 86.0% | 2018 | down 2.7% | falling |
| 146 | Tonga | 85.9% | 2015 | down 13.0% | flat |
| 147 | Ethiopia | 84.6% | 2015 | up 40.1% | rising |
| 148 | Yemen | 84.2% | 2016 | up 9.7% | rising |
| 149 | Zambia | 83.2% | 2017 | down 8.1% | rising |
| 150 | Slovakia | 83.1% | 2017 | down 4.4% | flat |
| 151 | Kuwait | 82.6% | 2018 | down 10.6% | rising |
| 152 | Eswatini | 82.5% | 2017 | up 0.6% | rising |
| 153 | Romania | 82.2% | 2017 | down 12.2% | flat |
| 154 | Tanzania | 81.3% | 2018 | down 17.7% | rising |
| 155 | Jamaica | 81.0% | 2018 | down 11.5% | falling |
| 156 | El Salvador | 81.0% | 2018 | down 14.2% | rising |
| 157 | Jordan | 80.9% | 2018 | down 2.3% | falling |
| 158 | Comoros | 80.8% | 2018 | up 2.0% | flat |
| 159 | Honduras | 80.1% | 2017 | down 1.7% | flat |
| 160 | Kenya | 80.0% | 2012 | up 34.3% | rising |
| 161 | Vanuatu | 79.8% | 2015 | down 19.3% | rising |
| 162 | Mauritania | 79.6% | 2018 | up 9.5% | rising |
| 163 | Burkina Faso | 78.6% | 2018 | up 31.1% | volatile |
| 164 | Angola | 78.0% | 2011 | up 72.1% | rising |
| 165 | Gambia | 76.8% | 2018 | up 20.0% | rising |
| 166 | Puerto Rico | 76.3% | 2016 | down 15.0% | falling |
| 167 | Guinea | 76.0% | 2016 | up 17.8% | rising |
| 168 | Senegal | 75.4% | 2017 | up 8.7% | rising |
| 169 | Bahamas | 74.2% | 2018 | down 13.5% | falling |
| 170 | Chad | 73.2% | 2016 | up 27.4% | rising |
| 171 | Guinea-Bissau | 71.3% | 2010 | up 45.5% | rising |
| 172 | Syria | 68.0% | 2013 | down 25.9% | rising |
| 173 | Pakistan | 67.6% | 2018 | up 4.1% | rising |
| 174 | Solomon Islands | 67.5% | 2018 | down 16.3% | falling |
| 175 | Djibouti | 66.5% | 2019 | up 38.9% | rising |
| 176 | Central African Republic | 66.3% | 2012 | up 39.5% | rising |
| 177 | Niger | 65.1% | 2017 | up 50.6% | rising |
| 178 | Nigeria | 64.1% | 2010 | down 1.5% | flat |
| 179 | Sudan | 60.0% | 2017 | up 2.1% | flat |
| 180 | Mali | 58.9% | 2018 | down 1.9% | rising |
| 181 | Haiti | 58.1% | 1997 | up 36.6% | rising |
| 182 | Eritrea | 51.5% | 2018 | down 29.0% | rising |
| 183 | Liberia | 44.3% | 2017 | up 22.6% | falling |
| 184 | Equatorial Guinea | 43.5% | 2015 | down 34.0% | falling |
| 185 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 36.8% | 1999 | down 43.0% | falling |
| 186 | Somalia | 14.5% | 1980 | — | falling |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Euro area 97.4%
- European Union 96.8%
- Late-demographic dividend 96.5%
- Post-demographic dividend 96.2%
- High income 96.2%
- East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) 95.9%
- East Asia & Pacific 95.9%
- East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) 95.9%
- OECD members 95.6%
- Upper middle income 95.5%
- North America 95.2%
- Europe & Central Asia 94.9%
About this data
Net enrollment rate is the ratio of children of official school age who are enrolled in school to the population of the corresponding official school age. 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.