Share of the world population with at least basic education in China (People’s Republic of)
China (People’s Republic of): Share of the world population with at least basic education was 3.13 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Share of the world population with at least basic education in China (People’s Republic of), 1950–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
China (People’s Republic of) recorded 3.13 for share of the world population with at least basic education in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 15 years on record.
The figure is down 39.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the world population with at least basic education in China (People’s Republic of) peaked at 66.51 in 1950 and was at its lowest, 3.13, in 2020.
That places China (People’s Republic of) 9th out of 25 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 62.87 | 59.22 | 66.51 | 2 |
| 1960s | 47.4 | 43.26 | 51.54 | 2 |
| 1970s | 31.94 | 28.76 | 35.12 | 2 |
| 1980s | 20.31 | 17.74 | 22.87 | 2 |
| 1990s | 12.55 | 11.17 | 13.93 | 2 |
| 2000s | 7.74 | 6.68 | 8.79 | 2 |
| 2010s | 4.57 | 4.01 | 5.14 | 2 |
| 2020s | 3.13 | 3.13 | 3.13 | 1 |
Countries ranked near China (People’s Republic of)
More education data for China (People’s Republic of)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 6.74 million (2024)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 69.7% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 15.4% (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age 12 years (2025)
- Primary school starting age 6 years (2025)
- School enrollment, primary 99.6% (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per capita 0.0048 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the world population with at least basic education in China (People’s Republic of)?
- Share of the world population with at least basic education in China (People’s Republic of) was 3.13 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the world population with at least basic education recorded in China (People’s Republic of)?
- The highest recorded value was 66.51 in 1950.
- What is the lowest share of the world population with at least basic education recorded in China (People’s Republic of)?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.13 in 2020.
- How does China (People’s Republic of) rank for share of the world population with at least basic education?
- China (People’s Republic of) ranks 9th out of 25 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of the world population with at least basic education rising or falling in China (People’s Republic of)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 39.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China (People’s Republic of) data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the world population with at least basic education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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