Share of population with no formal education in Uganda

Uganda: Share of population with no formal education was 5.7% in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)
5.7%
World rank
43rd
of 111 countries
All-time high
100.0%
in 1870
All-time low
5.7%
in 2020
Years of data
31
1870–2020

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

0204060801001870194520201870: 100 %1875: 100 %1880: 100 %1885: 100 %1890: 100 %1895: 100 %1900: 100 %1905: 98.1 %1910: 96.3 %1915: 95.1 %1920: 90 %1925: 89.3 %1930: 88.4 %1935: 87.3 %1940: 86.6 %1945: 83.2 %1950: 79.8 %1955: 77.1 %1960: 74.5 %1965: 68.6 %1970: 60.4 %1975: 53.6 %1980: 50.1 %1985: 43.5 %1990: 35.1 %1995: 28 %2000: 23.1 %2005: 16.6 %2010: 10.7 %2015: 8.1 %2020: 5.7 %

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

Analysis

Uganda recorded 5.7% for share of population with no formal education in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 31 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 46.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of population with no formal education in Uganda peaked at 100.0% in 1870 and was at its lowest, 5.7%, in 2020.

Uganda ranks 43rd of 111 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

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

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

Annual values for Share of population with no formal education in Uganda, 1870 to 2020.
Year % Change
1870 100.0%
1875 100.0% +0.0%
1880 100.0% +0.0%
1885 100.0% +0.0%
1890 100.0% +0.0%
1895 100.0% +0.0%
1900 100.0% +0.0%
1905 98.1% -1.9%
1910 96.3% -1.8%
1915 95.1% -1.2%
1920 90.0% -5.4%
1925 89.3% -0.8%
1930 88.4% -1.0%
1935 87.3% -1.2%
1940 86.6% -0.8%
1945 83.2% -3.9%
1950 79.8% -4.1%
1955 77.1% -3.4%
1960 74.5% -3.4%
1965 68.6% -7.9%
1970 60.4% -12.0%
1975 53.6% -11.3%
1980 50.1% -6.5%
1985 43.5% -13.2%
1990 35.1% -19.3%
1995 28.0% -20.2%
2000 23.1% -17.5%
2005 16.6% -28.1%
2010 10.7% -35.5%
2015 8.1% -24.3%
2020 5.7% -29.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1870s 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 2
1880s 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 2
1890s 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 2
1900s 99.0% 98.1% 100.0% 2
1910s 95.7% 95.1% 96.3% 2
1920s 89.7% 89.3% 90.0% 2
1930s 87.8% 87.3% 88.4% 2
1940s 84.9% 83.2% 86.6% 2
1950s 78.4% 77.1% 79.8% 2
1960s 71.5% 68.6% 74.5% 2
1970s 57.0% 53.6% 60.4% 2
1980s 46.8% 43.5% 50.1% 2
1990s 31.6% 28.0% 35.1% 2
2000s 19.9% 16.6% 23.1% 2
2010s 9.4% 8.1% 10.7% 2
2020s 5.7% 5.7% 5.7% 1

Countries ranked near Uganda

  1. 40 Zambia 6.8% compare
  2. 41 Honduras 6.4% compare
  3. 41 Kenya 6.4% compare
  4. 44 Luxembourg 5.4% compare
  5. 45 Jamaica 5.1% compare
  6. 46 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 4.9% compare

See the full ranking of 111 places →

More education data for Uganda

All data for Uganda →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of population with no formal education in Uganda?
Share of population with no formal education in Uganda was 5.7% 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 Uganda?
The highest recorded value was 100.0% in 1870.
What is the lowest share of population with no formal education recorded in Uganda?
The lowest recorded value was 5.7% in 2020.
How does Uganda rank for share of population with no formal education?
Uganda ranks 43rd out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
Is share of population with no formal education rising or falling in Uganda?
Over the last ten years it is down 46.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Uganda 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 Uganda. 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/uganda/

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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.