Share of population with no formal education in Senegal

Senegal: Share of population with no formal education was 42.0% in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)
42.0%
World rank
6th
of 111 countries
All-time high
99.9%
in 1870
All-time low
42.0%
in 2020
Years of data
31
1870–2020

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

0204060801001870194520201870: 99.9 %1875: 99.9 %1880: 99.9 %1885: 99.9 %1890: 99.8 %1895: 99.8 %1900: 99.7 %1905: 99.7 %1910: 99.5 %1915: 99.4 %1920: 92.7 %1925: 86.8 %1930: 82.3 %1935: 73.1 %1940: 69.5 %1945: 66.2 %1950: 63.4 %1955: 61 %1960: 58.7 %1965: 57.3 %1970: 54.4 %1975: 51.2 %1980: 52.3 %1985: 54.1 %1990: 56.6 %1995: 59.4 %2000: 64.5 %2005: 70 %2010: 53.7 %2015: 47.7 %2020: 42 %

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

Analysis

Senegal recorded 42.0% 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 21.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of population with no formal education in Senegal peaked at 99.9% in 1870 and was at its lowest, 42.0%, in 2020.

Senegal ranks 6th of 111 countries on this measure, 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 Senegal, year by year

Annual values for Share of population with no formal education in Senegal, 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 99.7% +0.0%
1910 99.5% -0.2%
1915 99.4% -0.1%
1920 92.7% -6.7%
1925 86.8% -6.4%
1930 82.3% -5.2%
1935 73.1% -11.2%
1940 69.5% -4.9%
1945 66.2% -4.7%
1950 63.4% -4.2%
1955 61.0% -3.8%
1960 58.7% -3.8%
1965 57.3% -2.4%
1970 54.4% -5.1%
1975 51.2% -5.9%
1980 52.3% +2.1%
1985 54.1% +3.4%
1990 56.6% +4.6%
1995 59.4% +4.9%
2000 64.5% +8.6%
2005 70.0% +8.5%
2010 53.7% -23.3%
2015 47.7% -11.2%
2020 42.0% -11.9%

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% 99.7% 99.7% 2
1910s 99.5% 99.4% 99.5% 2
1920s 89.8% 86.8% 92.7% 2
1930s 77.7% 73.1% 82.3% 2
1940s 67.8% 66.2% 69.5% 2
1950s 62.2% 61.0% 63.4% 2
1960s 58.0% 57.3% 58.7% 2
1970s 52.8% 51.2% 54.4% 2
1980s 53.2% 52.3% 54.1% 2
1990s 58.0% 56.6% 59.4% 2
2000s 67.2% 64.5% 70.0% 2
2010s 50.7% 47.7% 53.7% 2
2020s 42.0% 42.0% 42.0% 1

Countries ranked near Senegal

  1. 3 Gambia 47.1% compare
  2. 4 Sudan 45.6% compare
  3. 5 Mozambique 45.5% compare
  4. 7 Yemen 38.0% compare
  5. 8 Benin 37.4% compare
  6. 9 Liberia 36.0% compare

See the full ranking of 111 places →

More education data for Senegal

All data for Senegal →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of population with no formal education in Senegal?
Share of population with no formal education in Senegal was 42.0% 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 Senegal?
The highest recorded value was 99.9% in 1870.
What is the lowest share of population with no formal education recorded in Senegal?
The lowest recorded value was 42.0% in 2020.
How does Senegal rank for share of population with no formal education?
Senegal ranks 6th out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
Is share of population with no formal education rising or falling in Senegal?
Over the last ten years it is down 21.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Senegal 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 Senegal. Statizoid, drawing on Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-population-15-years-and-older-with-no-education/senegal/

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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.