Share of population with no formal education in Mozambique

Mozambique: Share of population with no formal education was 45.5% in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)
45.5%
World rank
5th
of 111 countries
All-time high
99.9%
in 1870
All-time low
45.5%
in 2020
Years of data
31
1870–2020

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

0204060801001870194520201870: 99.9 %1875: 99.9 %1880: 99.9 %1885: 99.9 %1890: 99.8 %1895: 99.8 %1900: 99.7 %1905: 99.6 %1910: 99.5 %1915: 99.3 %1920: 99.1 %1925: 98 %1930: 96.5 %1935: 95.5 %1940: 89 %1945: 87.7 %1950: 86 %1955: 81.1 %1960: 76.4 %1965: 71.8 %1970: 72.2 %1975: 74.5 %1980: 70.6 %1985: 70.5 %1990: 75.9 %1995: 78.5 %2000: 76.4 %2005: 73.5 %2010: 66.6 %2015: 55.8 %2020: 45.5 %

Source: Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

Mozambique recorded 45.5% for share of population with no formal education in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 31 years on record.

That represents a change of down 31.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of population with no formal education in Mozambique peaked at 99.9% in 1870 and was at its lowest, 45.5%, in 2020.

That places Mozambique 5th out of 111 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.

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

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

Annual values for Share of population with no formal education in Mozambique, 1870 to 2020.
Year % Change
1870 99.9%
1875 99.9% +0.0%
1880 99.9% +0.0%
1885 99.9% +0.0%
1890 99.8% -0.1%
1895 99.8% +0.0%
1900 99.7% -0.1%
1905 99.6% -0.1%
1910 99.5% -0.1%
1915 99.3% -0.2%
1920 99.1% -0.2%
1925 98.0% -1.1%
1930 96.5% -1.5%
1935 95.5% -1.0%
1940 89.0% -6.8%
1945 87.7% -1.5%
1950 86.0% -1.9%
1955 81.1% -5.7%
1960 76.4% -5.8%
1965 71.8% -6.0%
1970 72.2% +0.6%
1975 74.5% +3.2%
1980 70.6% -5.2%
1985 70.5% -0.1%
1990 75.9% +7.7%
1995 78.5% +3.4%
2000 76.4% -2.7%
2005 73.5% -3.8%
2010 66.6% -9.4%
2015 55.8% -16.2%
2020 45.5% -18.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1870s 99.9% 99.9% 99.9% 2
1880s 99.9% 99.9% 99.9% 2
1890s 99.8% 99.8% 99.8% 2
1900s 99.7% 99.6% 99.7% 2
1910s 99.4% 99.3% 99.5% 2
1920s 98.5% 98.0% 99.1% 2
1930s 96.0% 95.5% 96.5% 2
1940s 88.3% 87.7% 89.0% 2
1950s 83.5% 81.1% 86.0% 2
1960s 74.1% 71.8% 76.4% 2
1970s 73.3% 72.2% 74.5% 2
1980s 70.5% 70.5% 70.6% 2
1990s 77.2% 75.9% 78.5% 2
2000s 75.0% 73.5% 76.4% 2
2010s 61.2% 55.8% 66.6% 2
2020s 45.5% 45.5% 45.5% 1

Countries ranked near Mozambique

  1. 2 Mali 57.0% compare
  2. 3 Gambia 47.1% compare
  3. 4 Sudan 45.6% compare
  4. 6 Senegal 42.0% compare
  5. 7 Yemen 38.0% compare
  6. 8 Benin 37.4% compare

See the full ranking of 111 places →

More education data for Mozambique

All data for Mozambique →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of population with no formal education in Mozambique?
Share of population with no formal education in Mozambique was 45.5% 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 Mozambique?
The highest recorded value was 99.9% in 1870.
What is the lowest share of population with no formal education recorded in Mozambique?
The lowest recorded value was 45.5% in 2020.
How does Mozambique rank for share of population with no formal education?
Mozambique ranks 5th out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
Is share of population with no formal education rising or falling in Mozambique?
Over the last ten years it is down 31.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Mozambique 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 Mozambique. Statizoid, drawing on Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-population-15-years-and-older-with-no-education/mozambique/

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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.