School life expectancy, primary, both sexes (years) by country
February 2026 Data Release
Countries reporting
218
Highest
11.16 years
Haiti
Lowest
0.8366 years
Somalia
Median
5.86 years
Years covered
56
1970–2025
Data points
17,962
What the numbers show
School life expectancy, primary, both sexes (years) is currently reported for 218 countries. The highest value is 11.16 years in Haiti; the lowest is 0.8366 years in Somalia.
The median across all reporting countries is 5.86 years, and the mean is 5.8 years.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 13.
Over the past decade 77 countries rose and 139 fell. The largest increase was in Syria (up 74.0%), and the largest decrease in Liberia (down 40.8%).
School life expectancy, primary, both sexes (years) (School both): full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Haiti | 11.16 years | 2016 | — | rising |
| 2 | Sierra Leone | 9.68 years | 2024 | up 34.6% | rising |
| 3 | Rwanda | 9.26 years | 2024 | up 7.8% | rising |
| 4 | Namibia | 8.68 years | 2024 | up 0.9% | falling |
| 5 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 8.59 years | 2023 | up 7.5% | rising |
| 6 | Mozambique | 8.56 years | 2022 | up 5.0% | rising |
| 7 | Malawi | 8.39 years | 2024 | down 4.3% | rising |
| 8 | Zambia | 8.22 years | 2024 | up 9.6% | rising |
| 9 | Eswatini | 8.16 years | 2023 | down 6.6% | rising |
| 10 | Antigua and Barbuda | 7.9 years | 2023 | down 0.4% | rising |
| 11 | Anguilla | 7.89 years | 2023 | up 8.1% | rising |
| 12 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 7.87 years | 2024 | up 0.5% | falling |
| 13 | Grenada | 7.8 years | 2024 | up 1.7% | falling |
| 14 | Bhutan | 7.76 years | 2024 | up 6.1% | rising |
| 15 | Ireland | 7.76 years | 2022 | down 4.4% | flat |
| 16 | Botswana | 7.68 years | 2022 | up 0.8% | rising |
| 17 | Montserrat | 7.57 years | 2023 | up 6.4% | falling |
| 18 | United States Virgin Islands | 7.45 years | 1993 | down 0.1% | flat |
| 19 | Uganda | 7.44 years | 2017 | down 14.2% | rising |
| 20 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 7.41 years | 2024 | up 27.5% | falling |
| 21 | Papua New Guinea | 7.39 years | 2023 | up 18.5% | rising |
| 22 | East Timor | 7.22 years | 2023 | down 8.8% | falling |
| 23 | American Samoa | 7.19 years | 1992 | down 8.4% | flat |
| 24 | Guinea-Bissau | 7.13 years | 2010 | up 51.2% | rising |
| 25 | South Africa | 7.12 years | 2023 | down 2.2% | rising |
| 26 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 7.06 years | 2023 | up 13.6% | rising |
| 27 | Denmark | 6.98 years | 2024 | down 1.4% | rising |
| 28 | Morocco | 6.98 years | 2024 | up 8.2% | rising |
| 29 | Vanuatu | 6.97 years | 2024 | down 10.3% | rising |
| 30 | Australia | 6.96 years | 2024 | down 6.2% | flat |
| 31 | Norway | 6.9 years | 2024 | down 1.0% | flat |
| 32 | Cameroon | 6.9 years | 2024 | down 1.0% | rising |
| 33 | Iceland | 6.87 years | 2023 | down 0.6% | rising |
| 34 | Trinidad and Tobago | 6.86 years | 2024 | down 3.1% | falling |
| 35 | Dominica | 6.86 years | 2025 | down 5.7% | falling |
| 36 | Togo | 6.85 years | 2024 | down 9.1% | rising |
| 37 | Venezuela | 6.82 years | 2024 | up 13.2% | rising |
| 38 | Mauritius | 6.8 years | 2024 | up 17.2% | falling |
| 39 | Saint Lucia | 6.78 years | 2024 | up 0.1% | falling |
| 40 | Peru | 6.76 years | 2024 | up 8.9% | falling |
| 41 | Sweden | 6.75 years | 2024 | down 2.6% | rising |
| 42 | Afghanistan | 6.74 years | 2023 | up 3.9% | volatile |
| 43 | Sao Tome and Principe | 6.7 years | 2017 | down 11.2% | rising |
| 44 | Falkland Islands | 6.7 years | 1995 | up 28.3% | flat |
| 45 | Madagascar | 6.68 years | 2024 | down 4.3% | rising |
| 46 | Fiji | 6.64 years | 2024 | up 13.4% | flat |
| 47 | Portugal | 6.61 years | 2023 | up 1.6% | falling |
| 48 | Mauritania | 6.6 years | 2024 | up 11.9% | rising |
| 49 | Nicaragua | 6.58 years | 2023 | down 8.1% | rising |
| 50 | Cambodia | 6.57 years | 2024 | down 3.0% | falling |
| 51 | Tonga | 6.57 years | 2024 | down 7.0% | rising |
| 52 | Cook Islands | 6.52 years | 2024 | up 6.5% | falling |
| 53 | Zimbabwe | 6.51 years | 2024 | down 6.7% | rising |
| 54 | Aruba | 6.46 years | 2024 | down 6.7% | falling |
| 55 | Tanzania | 6.45 years | 2024 | up 7.0% | rising |
| 56 | Uruguay | 6.43 years | 2023 | down 1.8% | flat |
| 57 | Benin | 6.43 years | 2022 | down 9.2% | rising |
| 58 | Libya | 6.42 years | 2006 | down 9.4% | flat |
| 59 | Argentina | 6.39 years | 2023 | down 7.0% | falling |
| 60 | Nepal | 6.39 years | 2025 | down 9.6% | rising |
| 61 | Palau | 6.37 years | 2024 | down 6.4% | rising |
| 62 | Cote d'Ivoire | 6.37 years | 2024 | up 25.4% | rising |
| 63 | Cyprus | 6.31 years | 2024 | up 6.5% | flat |
| 64 | Tunisia | 6.29 years | 2023 | down 1.0% | flat |
| 65 | Costa Rica | 6.24 years | 2024 | up 0.5% | flat |
| 66 | Guam | 6.23 years | 1989 | down 14.3% | falling |
| 67 | Netherlands | 6.23 years | 2023 | down 2.9% | flat |
| 68 | Saudi Arabia | 6.22 years | 2024 | up 1.3% | falling |
| 69 | Hong Kong | 6.21 years | 2024 | down 1.7% | flat |
| 70 | Cape Verde | 6.18 years | 2022 | down 4.3% | rising |
| 71 | Marshall Islands | 6.17 years | 2024 | down 4.7% | flat |
| 72 | Mexico | 6.15 years | 2024 | down 5.7% | falling |
| 73 | Spain | 6.14 years | 2024 | up 0.1% | flat |
| 74 | Burundi | 6.13 years | 2025 | down 16.0% | volatile |
| 75 | United Kingdom | 6.13 years | 2023 | down 2.7% | flat |
| 76 | Dominican Republic | 6.12 years | 2024 | down 5.7% | flat |
| 77 | Gambia | 6.11 years | 2025 | up 19.7% | rising |
| 78 | Belgium | 6.11 years | 2023 | down 1.1% | flat |
| 79 | Iran | 6.11 years | 2023 | down 6.5% | rising |
| 80 | Greece | 6.1 years | 2023 | up 3.0% | flat |
| 81 | Guatemala | 6.1 years | 2024 | down 3.6% | rising |
| 82 | Gibraltar | 6.1 years | 2024 | down 13.4% | rising |
| 83 | Samoa | 6.09 years | 2024 | down 6.0% | rising |
| 84 | Ghana | 6.08 years | 2024 | up 0.0% | rising |
| 85 | Switzerland | 6.08 years | 2024 | down 1.0% | flat |
| 86 | Monaco | 6.08 years | 2024 | down 2.5% | flat |
| 87 | Japan | 6.07 years | 2023 | up 0.7% | flat |
| 88 | South Korea | 6.06 years | 2024 | up 1.7% | flat |
| 89 | Indonesia | 6.06 years | 2025 | down 6.0% | rising |
| 90 | Slovenia | 6.04 years | 2023 | up 2.1% | rising |
| 91 | Thailand | 6.04 years | 2025 | down 1.5% | flat |
| 92 | Guinea | 6.02 years | 2020 | up 16.2% | rising |
| 93 | Singapore | 6.02 years | 2023 | down 0.5% | falling |
| 94 | Myanmar | 6.01 years | 2018 | up 11.3% | rising |
| 95 | Tuvalu | 5.99 years | 2024 | down 3.4% | falling |
| 96 | China | 5.99 years | 2024 | up 1.6% | rising |
| 97 | Georgia | 5.98 years | 2024 | down 9.3% | rising |
| 98 | Niue | 5.96 years | 2025 | down 7.3% | rising |
| 99 | Luxembourg | 5.96 years | 2024 | up 2.1% | flat |
| 100 | Chile | 5.93 years | 2024 | down 2.7% | flat |
| 101 | Finland | 5.93 years | 2024 | down 0.9% | flat |
| 102 | Jordan | 5.91 years | 2024 | up 0.6% | falling |
| 103 | Andorra | 5.91 years | 2024 | up 13.7% | flat |
| 104 | Iraq | 5.9 years | 2023 | down 3.4% | rising |
| 105 | Kenya | 5.9 years | 2023 | down 15.8% | rising |
| 106 | Cuba | 5.89 years | 2024 | down 4.3% | falling |
| 107 | Maldives | 5.88 years | 2024 | down 13.1% | falling |
| 108 | Latvia | 5.87 years | 2024 | down 2.2% | rising |
| 109 | Malta | 5.86 years | 2023 | down 3.1% | falling |
| 110 | Saint Helena | 5.86 years | 1998 | up 23.2% | rising |
| 111 | Israel | 5.86 years | 2024 | down 1.8% | flat |
| 112 | Guyana | 5.85 years | 2024 | down 7.4% | flat |
| 113 | Estonia | 5.85 years | 2024 | down 0.7% | falling |
| 114 | Ecuador | 5.85 years | 2023 | down 7.4% | falling |
| 115 | Saint Pierre and Miquelon | 5.84 years | 1995 | up 0.4% | flat |
| 116 | French Guiana | 5.83 years | 1996 | down 4.7% | falling |
| 117 | Jamaica | 5.82 years | 2024 | up 3.5% | falling |
| 118 | Belize | 5.82 years | 2024 | down 14.0% | flat |
| 119 | Qatar | 5.82 years | 2024 | down 0.5% | flat |
| 120 | Bahrain | 5.82 years | 2024 | down 7.6% | falling |
| 121 | Panama | 5.82 years | 2024 | down 2.4% | falling |
| 122 | Egypt | 5.81 years | 2024 | up 7.6% | rising |
| 123 | Central African Republic | 5.81 years | 2016 | up 65.8% | rising |
| 124 | United States | 5.8 years | 2022 | down 2.6% | rising |
| 125 | New Caledonia | 5.8 years | 1994 | down 7.3% | falling |
| 126 | New Zealand | 5.8 years | 2024 | down 2.1% | flat |
| 127 | Cayman Islands | 5.74 years | 2024 | down 2.7% | falling |
| 128 | Kiribati | 5.72 years | 2024 | down 12.6% | falling |
| 129 | Canada | 5.7 years | 2023 | down 4.4% | flat |
| 130 | Brunei | 5.69 years | 2024 | down 8.4% | falling |
| 131 | Lesotho | 5.69 years | 2024 | down 26.2% | flat |
| 132 | Nauru | 5.66 years | 2025 | down 5.0% | flat |
| 133 | Philippines | 5.63 years | 2024 | down 10.7% | falling |
| 134 | Bolivia | 5.63 years | 2024 | down 3.1% | rising |
| 135 | Seychelles | 5.61 years | 2024 | down 21.1% | rising |
| 136 | India | 5.61 years | 2025 | down 1.2% | rising |
| 137 | Bermuda | 5.57 years | 2023 | down 6.7% | falling |
| 138 | Albania | 5.54 years | 2024 | up 6.0% | rising |
| 139 | Suriname | 5.53 years | 2024 | down 13.0% | falling |
| 140 | Paraguay | 5.52 years | 2024 | down 20.0% | flat |
| 141 | French Polynesia | 5.48 years | 1996 | down 12.9% | falling |
| 142 | Bahamas | 5.46 years | 2024 | down 3.9% | falling |
| 143 | Malaysia | 5.42 years | 2024 | down 7.0% | falling |
| 144 | Nigeria | 5.41 years | 2023 | up 0.7% | rising |
| 145 | El Salvador | 5.41 years | 2024 | down 13.9% | rising |
| 146 | Macao | 5.4 years | 2024 | down 10.2% | falling |
| 147 | Angola | 5.39 years | 2023 | down 33.4% | rising |
| 148 | Chad | 5.39 years | 2024 | down 8.7% | rising |
| 149 | Guadeloupe | 5.38 years | 1995 | down 14.2% | falling |
| 150 | Bangladesh | 5.32 years | 2024 | down 4.6% | rising |
| 151 | Vietnam | 5.31 years | 2024 | up 3.0% | falling |
| 152 | Montenegro | 5.31 years | 2023 | up 7.2% | rising |
| 153 | Reunion | 5.31 years | 1996 | up 1.3% | falling |
| 154 | Congo | 5.3 years | 2023 | down 18.1% | falling |
| 155 | Puerto Rico | 5.3 years | 2024 | down 11.4% | falling |
| 156 | Algeria | 5.3 years | 2025 | down 4.1% | flat |
| 157 | Colombia | 5.24 years | 2022 | down 11.5% | falling |
| 158 | Gabon | 5.24 years | 2019 | down 33.6% | falling |
| 159 | Brazil | 5.2 years | 2024 | down 4.1% | flat |
| 160 | France | 5.17 years | 2024 | up 2.0% | flat |
| 161 | Liechtenstein | 5.15 years | 2021 | down 2.3% | flat |
| 162 | Italy | 5.14 years | 2023 | up 1.8% | flat |
| 163 | British Virgin Islands | 5.13 years | 2024 | down 25.8% | falling |
| 164 | Senegal | 5.13 years | 2024 | down 1.5% | rising |
| 165 | Ethiopia | 5.1 years | 2024 | down 9.8% | volatile |
| 166 | Solomon Islands | 5.05 years | 2024 | down 26.4% | rising |
| 167 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 5.04 years | 2023 | up 12.9% | rising |
| 168 | Syria | 5 years | 2024 | up 74.0% | falling |
| 169 | Barbados | 5 years | 2024 | down 13.7% | falling |
| 170 | Czechia | 5 years | 2023 | down 0.8% | flat |
| 171 | Comoros | 4.93 years | 2024 | down 27.9% | rising |
| 172 | Micronesia (country) | 4.92 years | 2024 | down 15.5% | falling |
| 173 | Lebanon | 4.91 years | 2024 | up 4.5% | falling |
| 174 | Martinique | 4.85 years | 1996 | down 18.3% | falling |
| 175 | North Macedonia | 4.82 years | 2023 | down 0.6% | rising |
| 176 | Uzbekistan | 4.8 years | 2025 | up 24.3% | rising |
| 177 | Honduras | 4.77 years | 2024 | down 11.1% | flat |
| 178 | Burkina Faso | 4.68 years | 2024 | down 11.5% | volatile |
| 179 | San Marino | 4.68 years | 2024 | up 0.2% | flat |
| 180 | Yemen | 4.67 years | 2016 | down 2.8% | rising |
| 181 | Laos | 4.66 years | 2025 | down 18.7% | rising |
| 182 | Mongolia | 4.62 years | 2024 | down 7.6% | rising |
| 183 | Sri Lanka | 4.55 years | 2023 | down 6.5% | falling |
| 184 | Eritrea | 4.5 years | 2022 | up 9.3% | rising |
| 185 | Sudan | 4.44 years | 2019 | up 8.4% | rising |
| 186 | United Arab Emirates | 4.34 years | 2024 | down 0.5% | falling |
| 187 | Mali | 4.32 years | 2023 | up 2.5% | rising |
| 188 | Romania | 4.24 years | 2023 | up 10.6% | rising |
| 189 | Poland | 4.21 years | 2024 | down 29.3% | falling |
| 190 | Pakistan | 4.2 years | 2024 | up 16.6% | rising |
| 191 | Azerbaijan | 4.18 years | 2024 | down 0.9% | rising |
| 192 | Slovakia | 4.14 years | 2024 | up 4.3% | flat |
| 193 | Germany | 4.14 years | 2024 | up 1.1% | flat |
| 194 | Liberia | 4.14 years | 2022 | down 40.8% | rising |
| 195 | Kuwait | 4.13 years | 2021 | down 19.7% | rising |
| 196 | Hungary | 4.1 years | 2024 | up 1.1% | flat |
| 197 | Turkey | 4.1 years | 2023 | down 10.2% | falling |
| 198 | Austria | 4.08 years | 2024 | up 1.3% | flat |
| 199 | Armenia | 4.07 years | 2024 | up 7.5% | rising |
| 200 | Croatia | 4.06 years | 2023 | up 3.1% | flat |
| 201 | Lithuania | 4.02 years | 2024 | down 1.0% | flat |
| 202 | Kyrgyzstan | 3.93 years | 2025 | up 1.0% | rising |
| 203 | Russia | 3.92 years | 2023 | up 1.2% | rising |
| 204 | Kazakhstan | 3.91 years | 2025 | up 6.1% | rising |
| 205 | Niger | 3.84 years | 2024 | down 11.8% | volatile |
| 206 | Belarus | 3.84 years | 2024 | down 3.7% | falling |
| 207 | Serbia | 3.84 years | 2024 | down 5.3% | falling |
| 208 | Turkmenistan | 3.83 years | 2024 | down 3.7% | flat |
| 209 | Tajikistan | 3.82 years | 2017 | down 1.4% | rising |
| 210 | Bulgaria | 3.81 years | 2024 | down 3.8% | falling |
| 211 | Oman | 3.77 years | 2024 | down 39.8% | rising |
| 212 | Palestine | 3.66 years | 2023 | down 3.5% | flat |
| 213 | Ukraine | 3.65 years | 2024 | down 5.5% | rising |
| 214 | Tokelau | 3.39 years | 2025 | down 34.3% | falling |
| 215 | Djibouti | 3.08 years | 2023 | up 13.1% | rising |
| 216 | Equatorial Guinea | 3.01 years | 2015 | down 12.1% | falling |
| 217 | Moldova | 2.96 years | 2024 | down 30.9% | flat |
| 218 | Somalia | 0.8366 years | 2023 | — | falling |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- MDG: Caribbean 7.69 years
- ECA: Southern Africa (unsdcode:98104) 7.29 years
- UNESCO: Sids 7.21 years
- SDG: Small Island Developing States 7.18 years
- ECA: Sadc (unsdcode:98110) 7.07 years
- ECA: Eac (unsdcode:98114) 6.93 years
- GPE: Latin America & Caribbean Wb Fy24, December 2024 6.78 years
- SDG: Australia and New Zealand 6.75 years
- ESCAP: Pacific Island Developing Economies (pide) (unsdcode:98427) 6.71 years
- MDG: Oceania 6.71 years
- SDG: Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand) 6.71 years
- ESCAP: Pacific (pac) (unsdcode:98418) 6.67 years
- AIMS: Pacific 6.67 years
- SDG: Oceania 6.67 years
- ECA: Island Economies (unsdcode:98115) 6.67 years
- ECA: Eccas (unsdcode:98107) 6.58 years
- UNICEF: Economic Community of Central African States (eccas) 6.58 years
- ESCAP: Small Islands Developing States (sids) (unsdcode:98435) 6.56 years
- ECA: Small Island States (unsdcode:98125) 6.47 years
- ECA: Mineral-rich Countries (unsdcode:98119) 6.37 years
- WB: Africa Eastern and Southern 6.34 years
- WB: Other Small States 6.34 years
- ECA: Non-oil Producing (unsdcode:98121) 6.29 years
- WB: Small States 6.25 years
- ESCAP: Wb High Income Economies (wb_high) (unsdcode:98436) 6.25 years
- UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa 6.2 years
- ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102) 6.19 years
- ECA: Non-oil Ldcs (unsdcode:98120) 6.17 years
- WB: Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (hipc) 6.14 years
- ECA: Comesa (unsdcode:98113) 6.11 years
- ALECSO: Maghreb Countries 6.09 years
- ECA: Amu (unsdcode:98111) 6.09 years
- GPE: Non Fragile & Non Conflict-affected Countries (non-fcac) Fy24, December 2024 6.08 years
- GPE: Region 1 6.08 years
- SDG: Sub-saharan Africa 6.06 years
- UIS: Sub-saharan Africa 6.05 years
- ESCWA: Maghreb Subregion (unsdcode:98504) 6.05 years
- ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118) 6.05 years
- WB: Pre-demographic Dividend 6.02 years
- GPE: Upper Middle Income Wb Fy24, December 2024 6.02 years
About this data
February 2026 Data Release