Share of population with no formal education in Brazil
Brazil: Share of population with no formal education was 4.2% in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Share of population with no formal education in Brazil, 1870–2020
Source: Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population with no formal education in Brazil is 4.2%, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 31 years on record.
The figure is down 39.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population with no formal education in Brazil peaked at 96.5% in 1870 and was at its lowest, 4.2%, in 2020.
Brazil ranks 48th of 111 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of population with no formal education in Brazil, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 96.5% | — |
| 1875 | 95.6% | -0.9% |
| 1880 | 94.5% | -1.2% |
| 1885 | 93.5% | -1.1% |
| 1890 | 92.6% | -1.0% |
| 1895 | 91.9% | -0.8% |
| 1900 | 87.3% | -5.0% |
| 1905 | 84.5% | -3.2% |
| 1910 | 83.8% | -0.8% |
| 1915 | 81.4% | -2.9% |
| 1920 | 78.9% | -3.1% |
| 1925 | 76.9% | -2.5% |
| 1930 | 73.7% | -4.2% |
| 1935 | 70.4% | -4.5% |
| 1940 | 67.9% | -3.6% |
| 1945 | 65.8% | -3.1% |
| 1950 | 62.1% | -5.6% |
| 1955 | 56.8% | -8.5% |
| 1960 | 51.1% | -10.0% |
| 1965 | 44.3% | -13.3% |
| 1970 | 36.3% | -18.1% |
| 1975 | 26.6% | -26.7% |
| 1980 | 25.2% | -5.3% |
| 1985 | 23.3% | -7.5% |
| 1990 | 20.2% | -13.3% |
| 1995 | 17.1% | -15.3% |
| 2000 | 13.5% | -21.1% |
| 2005 | 9.5% | -29.6% |
| 2010 | 6.9% | -27.4% |
| 2015 | 5.4% | -21.7% |
| 2020 | 4.2% | -22.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 96.0% | 95.6% | 96.5% | 2 |
| 1880s | 94.0% | 93.5% | 94.5% | 2 |
| 1890s | 92.2% | 91.9% | 92.6% | 2 |
| 1900s | 85.9% | 84.5% | 87.3% | 2 |
| 1910s | 82.6% | 81.4% | 83.8% | 2 |
| 1920s | 77.9% | 76.9% | 78.9% | 2 |
| 1930s | 72.1% | 70.4% | 73.7% | 2 |
| 1940s | 66.8% | 65.8% | 67.9% | 2 |
| 1950s | 59.5% | 56.8% | 62.1% | 2 |
| 1960s | 47.7% | 44.3% | 51.1% | 2 |
| 1970s | 31.4% | 26.6% | 36.3% | 2 |
| 1980s | 24.2% | 23.3% | 25.2% | 2 |
| 1990s | 18.6% | 17.1% | 20.2% | 2 |
| 2000s | 11.5% | 9.5% | 13.5% | 2 |
| 2010s | 6.2% | 5.4% | 6.9% | 2 |
| 2020s | 4.2% | 4.2% | 4.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Brazil
More education data for Brazil
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 7.36 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate -0.1006 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), per capita 0.0347 units per person (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 7.75 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate -0.1876 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), per capita 0.0365 units per person (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 21.50 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -0.6457 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 696,748 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate -15.01 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population with no formal education in Brazil?
- Share of population with no formal education in Brazil was 4.2% in 2020, according to Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population with no formal education recorded in Brazil?
- The highest recorded value was 96.5% in 1870.
- What is the lowest share of population with no formal education recorded in Brazil?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.2% in 2020.
- How does Brazil rank for share of population with no formal education?
- Brazil ranks 48th out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population with no formal education rising or falling in Brazil?
- Over the last ten years it is down 39.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Brazil data come from?
- The figures come from Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population with no formal education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The share of adults aged between 15 and 64 years old with no formal education.