School enrollment, tertiary, female in Africa Western and Central

Africa Western and Central: School enrollment, tertiary, female was 8.5% in 2021. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2021)
8.5%
Change on year
up 3.9%
Rank
38th
of 45 groups
All-time high
8.5%
in 2021
All-time low
0.3%
in 1971
Years of data
52
1970–2021

School enrollment, tertiary, female in Africa Western and Central, 1970–2021

02468197019952021

Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % gross.

Analysis

The most recent figure for school enrollment, tertiary, female in Africa Western and Central is 8.5%, measured in 2021. That is the highest value across all 52 years on record.

The figure is up 3.9% on the previous year and up 36.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, school enrollment, tertiary, female in Africa Western and Central peaked at 8.5% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 1971.

That places Africa Western and Central 38th out of 45 groups with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

School enrollment, tertiary, female in Africa Western and Central, year by year

Annual values for School enrollment, tertiary, female (% gross) in Africa Western and Central, 1970 to 2021.
Year % gross Change
1970 0.3%
1971 0.3% -0.4%
1972 0.3% +4.4%
1973 0.3% +7.6%
1974 0.3% +8.3%
1975 0.3% +8.0%
1976 0.4% +13.5%
1977 0.5% +22.3%
1978 0.5% +14.4%
1979 0.7% +24.9%
1980 0.7% +11.0%
1981 0.9% +18.5%
1982 0.9% +8.8%
1983 1.0% +4.8%
1984 1.0% +4.6%
1985 1.1% +9.5%
1986 1.2% +6.9%
1987 1.2% +3.6%
1988 1.2% -0.2%
1989 1.3% +2.4%
1990 1.4% +10.5%
1991 1.5% +10.2%
1992 1.7% +10.7%
1993 1.9% +10.6%
1994 2.1% +10.7%
1995 2.3% +9.3%
1996 2.5% +10.3%
1997 2.8% +10.2%
1998 3.0% +7.9%
1999 3.2% +8.2%
2000 3.7% +14.9%
2001 4.1% +9.0%
2002 4.4% +9.0%
2003 4.8% +7.6%
2004 5.0% +4.6%
2005 5.3% +6.9%
2006 5.4% +0.9%
2007 5.6% +3.4%
2008 5.7% +2.9%
2009 5.9% +3.0%
2010 6.1% +3.3%
2011 6.2% +2.0%
2012 6.5% +5.2%
2013 7.0% +7.1%
2014 7.2% +3.1%
2015 7.4% +2.4%
2016 7.3% -1.2%
2017 7.4% +1.3%
2018 7.7% +3.7%
2019 7.9% +3.6%
2020 8.2% +2.8%
2021 8.5% +3.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 0.4% 0.3% 0.7% 10
1980s 1.1% 0.7% 1.3% 10
1990s 2.2% 1.4% 3.2% 10
2000s 5.0% 3.7% 5.9% 10
2010s 7.1% 6.1% 7.9% 10
2020s 8.3% 8.2% 8.5% 2

Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central

  1. 35 Lithuania 90.1% compare
  2. 36 Italy 89.6% compare
  3. 37 Canada 88.6% compare
  4. 38 Mongolia 87.8% compare
  5. 39 Palau 86.5% compare
  6. 40 Ireland 85.7% compare
  7. 41 Portugal 85.4% compare

See the full ranking of 232 places →

More education data for Africa Western and Central

All data for Africa Western and Central →

Frequently asked questions

What is school enrollment, tertiary, female in Africa Western and Central?
School enrollment, tertiary, female in Africa Western and Central was 8.5% in 2021, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest school enrollment, tertiary, female recorded in Africa Western and Central?
The highest recorded value was 8.5% in 2021.
What is the lowest school enrollment, tertiary, female recorded in Africa Western and Central?
The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 1971.
How does Africa Western and Central rank for school enrollment, tertiary, female?
Africa Western and Central ranks 38th out of 45 groups with data for 2021.
Is school enrollment, tertiary, female rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
Over the last ten years it is up 36.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Africa Western and Central data come from?
The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of School enrollment, tertiary, female (% gross). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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School enrollment, tertiary, female in Africa Western and Central. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/school-enrollment-tertiary-female-percent-gross/africa-western-and-central/

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About this data

Indicator
School enrollment, tertiary, female (% gross)
Unit
% gross
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
232 places, 6,548 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

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. Tertiary education, whether or not to an advanced research qualification, normally requires, as a minimum condition of admission, the successful completion of education at the secondary level.