Share of population 15 years and older with no education in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Share of population 15 years and older with no education was 35.1 in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
35.1
World rank
10th
of 111 countries
All-time high
99.7
in 1870
All-time low
35.1
in 2020
Years of data
31
1870–2020
Share of population 15 years and older with no education in Sierra Leone, 1870–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Sierra Leone recorded 35.1 for share of population 15 years and older with no education in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 31 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 36.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population 15 years and older with no education in Sierra Leone peaked at 99.7 in 1870 and was at its lowest, 35.1, in 2020.
That places Sierra Leone 10th 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 15 years and older with no education in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 99.7 | — |
| 1875 | 99.6 | -0.1% |
| 1880 | 99.5 | -0.1% |
| 1885 | 99.4 | -0.1% |
| 1890 | 99.2 | -0.2% |
| 1895 | 99 | -0.2% |
| 1900 | 98.7 | -0.3% |
| 1905 | 98.3 | -0.4% |
| 1910 | 97.7 | -0.6% |
| 1915 | 97.3 | -0.4% |
| 1920 | 97 | -0.3% |
| 1925 | 97.2 | +0.2% |
| 1930 | 96.9 | -0.3% |
| 1935 | 96.6 | -0.3% |
| 1940 | 96.1 | -0.5% |
| 1945 | 95.6 | -0.5% |
| 1950 | 95.1 | -0.5% |
| 1955 | 94.6 | -0.5% |
| 1960 | 94.1 | -0.5% |
| 1965 | 92.4 | -1.8% |
| 1970 | 89.9 | -2.7% |
| 1975 | 86.7 | -3.6% |
| 1980 | 83.2 | -4.0% |
| 1985 | 79.3 | -4.7% |
| 1990 | 74.8 | -5.7% |
| 1995 | 69.3 | -7.4% |
| 2000 | 66.2 | -4.5% |
| 2005 | 63.5 | -4.1% |
| 2010 | 54.9 | -13.5% |
| 2015 | 45.1 | -17.9% |
| 2020 | 35.1 | -22.2% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 35.1 is below the median for low income countries, which is 36, 98% of the median. (13 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 35.1 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 22, 1.6× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 99.65 | 99.6 | 99.7 | 2 |
| 1880s | 99.45 | 99.4 | 99.5 | 2 |
| 1890s | 99.1 | 99 | 99.2 | 2 |
| 1900s | 98.5 | 98.3 | 98.7 | 2 |
| 1910s | 97.5 | 97.3 | 97.7 | 2 |
| 1920s | 97.1 | 97 | 97.2 | 2 |
| 1930s | 96.75 | 96.6 | 96.9 | 2 |
| 1940s | 95.85 | 95.6 | 96.1 | 2 |
| 1950s | 94.85 | 94.6 | 95.1 | 2 |
| 1960s | 93.25 | 92.4 | 94.1 | 2 |
| 1970s | 88.3 | 86.7 | 89.9 | 2 |
| 1980s | 81.25 | 79.3 | 83.2 | 2 |
| 1990s | 72.05 | 69.3 | 74.8 | 2 |
| 2000s | 64.85 | 63.5 | 66.2 | 2 |
| 2010s | 50 | 45.1 | 54.9 | 2 |
| 2020s | 35.1 | 35.1 | 35.1 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More education data for Sierra Leone
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 97.5 (2012)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 97.37 (2023)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 38,043 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 73,295 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 85,708 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 92,723 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.16 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.07 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.52 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population 15 years and older with no education in Sierra Leone?
- Share of population 15 years and older with no education in Sierra Leone was 35.1 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population 15 years and older with no education recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 99.7 in 1870.
- What is the lowest share of population 15 years and older with no education recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.1 in 2020.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for share of population 15 years and older with no education?
- Sierra Leone ranks 10th out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population 15 years and older with no education rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 36.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population 15 years and older with no education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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