Share of population with no formal education in Guatemala

Guatemala: Share of population with no formal education was 10.5% in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)
10.5%
World rank
28th
of 111 countries
All-time high
94.5%
in 1870
All-time low
10.5%
in 2020
Years of data
31
1870–2020

Share of population with no formal education in Guatemala, 1870–2020

204060801001870194520201870: 94.5 %1875: 93.4 %1880: 92.1 %1885: 90.5 %1890: 88.6 %1895: 85.8 %1900: 80.4 %1905: 79.3 %1910: 75.5 %1915: 72.1 %1920: 69.1 %1925: 70.1 %1930: 70.3 %1935: 67.8 %1940: 68.1 %1945: 68.7 %1950: 69 %1955: 69.3 %1960: 69.2 %1965: 68.2 %1970: 64.3 %1975: 59.4 %1980: 46.5 %1985: 42.4 %1990: 37.7 %1995: 33.8 %2000: 30.2 %2005: 27.5 %2010: 19.2 %2015: 14 %2020: 10.5 %

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 Guatemala is 10.5%, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 31 years on record.

That represents a change of down 45.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of population with no formal education in Guatemala peaked at 94.5% in 1870 and was at its lowest, 10.5%, in 2020.

That places Guatemala 28th out of 111 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 31 years of available data.

Share of population with no formal education in Guatemala, year by year

Annual values for Share of population with no formal education in Guatemala, 1870 to 2020.
Year % Change
1870 94.5%
1875 93.4% -1.2%
1880 92.1% -1.4%
1885 90.5% -1.7%
1890 88.6% -2.1%
1895 85.8% -3.2%
1900 80.4% -6.3%
1905 79.3% -1.4%
1910 75.5% -4.8%
1915 72.1% -4.5%
1920 69.1% -4.2%
1925 70.1% +1.4%
1930 70.3% +0.3%
1935 67.8% -3.6%
1940 68.1% +0.4%
1945 68.7% +0.9%
1950 69.0% +0.4%
1955 69.3% +0.4%
1960 69.2% -0.1%
1965 68.2% -1.4%
1970 64.3% -5.7%
1975 59.4% -7.6%
1980 46.5% -21.7%
1985 42.4% -8.8%
1990 37.7% -11.1%
1995 33.8% -10.3%
2000 30.2% -10.7%
2005 27.5% -8.9%
2010 19.2% -30.2%
2015 14.0% -27.1%
2020 10.5% -25.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1870s 94.0% 93.4% 94.5% 2
1880s 91.3% 90.5% 92.1% 2
1890s 87.2% 85.8% 88.6% 2
1900s 79.8% 79.3% 80.4% 2
1910s 73.8% 72.1% 75.5% 2
1920s 69.6% 69.1% 70.1% 2
1930s 69.0% 67.8% 70.3% 2
1940s 68.4% 68.1% 68.7% 2
1950s 69.2% 69.0% 69.3% 2
1960s 68.7% 68.2% 69.2% 2
1970s 61.8% 59.4% 64.3% 2
1980s 44.5% 42.4% 46.5% 2
1990s 35.8% 33.8% 37.7% 2
2000s 28.9% 27.5% 30.2% 2
2010s 16.6% 14.0% 19.2% 2
2020s 10.5% 10.5% 10.5% 1

Countries ranked near Guatemala

  1. 25 Iraq 13.2% compare
  2. 26 Cambodia 12.7% compare
  3. 27 Cameroon 12.3% compare
  4. 29 Algeria 10.4% compare
  5. 30 Nicaragua 9.7% compare
  6. 31 Tunisia 9.4% compare

See the full ranking of 111 places →

More education data for Guatemala

All data for Guatemala →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of population with no formal education in Guatemala?
Share of population with no formal education in Guatemala was 10.5% 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 Guatemala?
The highest recorded value was 94.5% in 1870.
What is the lowest share of population with no formal education recorded in Guatemala?
The lowest recorded value was 10.5% in 2020.
How does Guatemala rank for share of population with no formal education?
Guatemala ranks 28th out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
Is share of population with no formal education rising or falling in Guatemala?
Over the last ten years it is down 45.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Guatemala 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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Share of population with no formal education in Guatemala. Statizoid, drawing on Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-population-15-years-and-older-with-no-education/guatemala/

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About this data

Indicator
Share of population with no formal education
Unit
%
Source
Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
111 places, 3,441 data points, 1870–2020
Last refreshed

The share of adults aged between 15 and 64 years old with no formal education.