Share of population with no formal education in China
China: Share of population with no formal education was 1.3% in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Share of population with no formal education in China, 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 China is 1.3%, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 31 years on record.
That represents a change of down 50.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population with no formal education in China peaked at 100.0% in 1870 and was at its lowest, 1.3%, in 2020.
China ranks 79th 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 China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 100.0% | — |
| 1875 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 99.9% | -0.1% |
| 1890 | 99.9% | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 99.8% | -0.1% |
| 1900 | 99.7% | -0.1% |
| 1905 | 99.5% | -0.2% |
| 1910 | 99.2% | -0.3% |
| 1915 | 98.8% | -0.4% |
| 1920 | 98.1% | -0.7% |
| 1925 | 96.5% | -1.6% |
| 1930 | 94.5% | -2.1% |
| 1935 | 92.3% | -2.3% |
| 1940 | 75.2% | -18.5% |
| 1945 | 72.6% | -3.5% |
| 1950 | 68.6% | -5.5% |
| 1955 | 61.4% | -10.5% |
| 1960 | 53.4% | -13.0% |
| 1965 | 45.1% | -15.5% |
| 1970 | 35.6% | -21.1% |
| 1975 | 28.6% | -19.7% |
| 1980 | 19.7% | -31.1% |
| 1985 | 18.0% | -8.6% |
| 1990 | 17.8% | -1.1% |
| 1995 | 11.7% | -34.3% |
| 2000 | 6.5% | -44.4% |
| 2005 | 4.2% | -35.4% |
| 2010 | 2.6% | -38.1% |
| 2015 | 2.0% | -23.1% |
| 2020 | 1.3% | -35.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1880s | 100.0% | 99.9% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1890s | 99.8% | 99.8% | 99.9% | 2 |
| 1900s | 99.6% | 99.5% | 99.7% | 2 |
| 1910s | 99.0% | 98.8% | 99.2% | 2 |
| 1920s | 97.3% | 96.5% | 98.1% | 2 |
| 1930s | 93.4% | 92.3% | 94.5% | 2 |
| 1940s | 73.9% | 72.6% | 75.2% | 2 |
| 1950s | 65.0% | 61.4% | 68.6% | 2 |
| 1960s | 49.2% | 45.1% | 53.4% | 2 |
| 1970s | 32.1% | 28.6% | 35.6% | 2 |
| 1980s | 18.9% | 18.0% | 19.7% | 2 |
| 1990s | 14.8% | 11.7% | 17.8% | 2 |
| 2000s | 5.3% | 4.2% | 6.5% | 2 |
| 2010s | 2.3% | 2.0% | 2.6% | 2 |
| 2020s | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1 |
Countries ranked near China
More education data for China
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 97.98 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.73 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 6.74 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.2971 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 45.69 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.78 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 52.30 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.68 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 40.93 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -11.55 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population with no formal education in China?
- Share of population with no formal education in China was 1.3% 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 China?
- The highest recorded value was 100.0% in 1870.
- What is the lowest share of population with no formal education recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.3% in 2020.
- How does China rank for share of population with no formal education?
- China ranks 79th out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population with no formal education rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 50.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China 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.