Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate by country
The year-on-year percentage change in Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number). Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Countries reporting
205
Highest
32.21 % change on previous year
Fiji
Lowest
-35.22 % change on previous year
British Virgin Islands
Median
1.3 % change on previous year
Years covered
55
1971–2025
Data points
15,507
What the numbers show
Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate is currently reported for 205 countries. The highest value is 32.21 % change on previous year in Fiji; the lowest is -35.22 % change on previous year in British Virgin Islands.
The median across all reporting countries is 1.3 % change on previous year, and the mean is 1.84 % change on previous year.
Over the past decade 90 countries rose and 104 fell. The largest increase was in Bangladesh (up 10,676.1%), and the largest decrease in Brazil (down 4,649.8%).
Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fiji | 32.21 % change on previous year | 2012 | up 1,430.1% | volatile |
| 2 | Guatemala | 31.87 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 1,553.5% | volatile |
| 3 | Guyana | 28.33 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 1,250.6% | volatile |
| 4 | Central African Republic | 26.92 % change on previous year | 2017 | down 35.6% | volatile |
| 5 | Gibraltar | 25.98 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 47.6% | volatile |
| 6 | Saint Helena | 25.58 % change on previous year | 1986 | — | volatile |
| 7 | Somalia | 16.99 % change on previous year | 1980 | down 28.9% | volatile |
| 8 | Libya | 15.68 % change on previous year | 1981 | up 14.1% | falling |
| 9 | American Samoa | 15.65 % change on previous year | 1992 | up 158.3% | volatile |
| 10 | Grenada | 14.29 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 80.2% | volatile |
| 11 | Monaco | 14.16 % change on previous year | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 12 | Dominican Republic | 13.71 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 55.6% | volatile |
| 13 | Argentina | 13.37 % change on previous year | 2008 | up 147.3% | volatile |
| 14 | Benin | 12.95 % change on previous year | 2022 | up 478.9% | volatile |
| 15 | Niger | 12.85 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 48.6% | volatile |
| 16 | Gambia | 12.83 % change on previous year | 2021 | up 73.3% | volatile |
| 17 | Tajikistan | 12.21 % change on previous year | 2011 | up 282.5% | volatile |
| 18 | Mali | 12.17 % change on previous year | 2017 | down 27.3% | volatile |
| 19 | Nepal | 11.8 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 776.4% | volatile |
| 20 | Cambodia | 11.78 % change on previous year | 2007 | up 1,105.4% | volatile |
| 21 | Brunei Darussalam | 10.69 % change on previous year | 2020 | up 192.8% | volatile |
| 22 | Eritrea | 9.9 % change on previous year | 2018 | down 52.1% | volatile |
| 23 | Eswatini | 9.49 % change on previous year | 2016 | up 253.7% | volatile |
| 24 | United Arab Emirates | 9.47 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 72.4% | volatile |
| 25 | Slovenia | 9.37 % change on previous year | 2016 | up 553.1% | volatile |
| 26 | Uruguay | 9.36 % change on previous year | 2010 | down 0.8% | volatile |
| 27 | Cyprus | 9.07 % change on previous year | 2023 | up 2,329.9% | volatile |
| 28 | Iran, Islamic Republic of | 8.95 % change on previous year | 2023 | up 955.5% | volatile |
| 29 | Georgia | 8.85 % change on previous year | 2020 | down 14.3% | volatile |
| 30 | Morocco | 8.72 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 67.2% | volatile |
| 31 | Guam | 8.64 % change on previous year | 1989 | down 62.3% | volatile |
| 32 | New Caledonia | 8.1 % change on previous year | 1991 | down 81.7% | volatile |
| 33 | Iraq | 8.01 % change on previous year | 2004 | up 3.2% | volatile |
| 34 | Togo | 7.93 % change on previous year | 2021 | up 94.5% | volatile |
| 35 | Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 7.85 % change on previous year | 2015 | up 53.7% | volatile |
| 36 | Pakistan | 7.68 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 14.9% | volatile |
| 37 | Qatar | 7.52 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 16.1% | volatile |
| 38 | Mozambique | 7.36 % change on previous year | 2017 | down 57.7% | volatile |
| 39 | Kenya | 7.22 % change on previous year | 2015 | up 441.1% | volatile |
| 40 | Naoero | 6.67 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 166.7% | volatile |
| 41 | Côte d'Ivoire | 6.62 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 16.2% | volatile |
| 42 | Réunion | 6.35 % change on previous year | 1996 | up 90.3% | volatile |
| 43 | Turkmenistan | 5.86 % change on previous year | 2024 | — | rising |
| 44 | Nigeria | 5.84 % change on previous year | 2021 | down 86.9% | volatile |
| 45 | Papua New Guinea | 5.54 % change on previous year | 1992 | up 115.1% | volatile |
| 46 | Bermuda | 5.33 % change on previous year | 2016 | down 44.1% | volatile |
| 47 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 4.87 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 195.4% | volatile |
| 48 | Afghanistan | 4.76 % change on previous year | 2018 | — | volatile |
| 49 | India | 4.66 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 900.2% | volatile |
| 50 | Ethiopia | 4.63 % change on previous year | 2021 | down 69.8% | volatile |
| 51 | Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of | 4.58 % change on previous year | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 52 | Bangladesh | 4.56 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 10,676.1% | volatile |
| 53 | French Polynesia | 4.39 % change on previous year | 1993 | down 67.0% | volatile |
| 54 | Angola | 4.31 % change on previous year | 2016 | down 72.7% | volatile |
| 55 | Estonia | 4.27 % change on previous year | 2021 | up 186.6% | volatile |
| 56 | Timor-Leste | 4.07 % change on previous year | 2020 | up 591.2% | volatile |
| 57 | Luxembourg | 3.96 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 134.1% | volatile |
| 58 | Namibia | 3.74 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 24.5% | volatile |
| 59 | Martinique | 3.39 % change on previous year | 1996 | up 238.2% | volatile |
| 60 | French Guiana | 3.23 % change on previous year | 1997 | down 66.9% | volatile |
| 61 | Uzbekistan | 3.17 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 333.3% | volatile |
| 62 | Macau, China | 3.16 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 109.6% | volatile |
| 63 | Bulgaria | 3.13 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 301.6% | volatile |
| 64 | Palestine, State of | 3.13 % change on previous year | 2023 | up 79.7% | volatile |
| 65 | Cayman Islands | 2.98 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 95.9% | volatile |
| 66 | Paraguay | 2.96 % change on previous year | 2004 | down 96.4% | volatile |
| 67 | Türkiye | 2.9 % change on previous year | 2023 | down 86.4% | volatile |
| 68 | Mongolia | 2.69 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 1,802.3% | volatile |
| 69 | Djibouti | 2.63 % change on previous year | 2023 | down 72.7% | volatile |
| 70 | Antigua and Barbuda | 2.61 % change on previous year | 2019 | up 10.5% | volatile |
| 71 | Cameroon | 2.53 % change on previous year | 2023 | down 84.0% | volatile |
| 72 | Switzerland | 2.5 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 178.0% | volatile |
| 73 | Israel | 2.41 % change on previous year | 2009 | up 157.4% | volatile |
| 74 | Norway | 2.32 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 426.7% | volatile |
| 75 | Oman | 2.24 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 94.3% | volatile |
| 76 | Lesotho | 2.24 % change on previous year | 2023 | up 376.8% | volatile |
| 77 | Myanmar | 2.23 % change on previous year | 2018 | up 3,049.7% | volatile |
| 78 | Chile | 2.17 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 41.1% | volatile |
| 79 | Portugal | 2.16 % change on previous year | 2018 | down 13.7% | volatile |
| 80 | China | 2.15 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 828.7% | volatile |
| 81 | Peru | 2.13 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 67.0% | volatile |
| 82 | Syrian Arab Republic | 2.08 % change on previous year | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 83 | Rwanda | 2.03 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 67.3% | volatile |
| 84 | Zimbabwe | 1.98 % change on previous year | 2013 | down 68.5% | volatile |
| 85 | Guadeloupe | 1.97 % change on previous year | 1993 | down 14.7% | volatile |
| 86 | Philippines | 1.94 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 55.1% | volatile |
| 87 | Spain | 1.9 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 202.4% | volatile |
| 88 | Kiribati | 1.89 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 118.2% | volatile |
| 89 | Dominica | 1.79 % change on previous year | 2023 | down 76.8% | volatile |
| 90 | Senegal | 1.76 % change on previous year | 2023 | down 47.3% | volatile |
| 91 | Seychelles | 1.71 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 122.6% | volatile |
| 92 | Kuwait | 1.69 % change on previous year | 2019 | down 87.5% | volatile |
| 93 | Bolivia, Plurinational State of | 1.67 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 55.3% | volatile |
| 94 | Slovakia | 1.67 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 168.5% | volatile |
| 95 | Greece | 1.56 % change on previous year | 2023 | up 114.5% | volatile |
| 96 | Colombia | 1.55 % change on previous year | 2022 | up 141.6% | volatile |
| 97 | Burkina Faso | 1.46 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 85.0% | volatile |
| 98 | Cook Islands | 1.43 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 145.7% | volatile |
| 99 | Kyrgyzstan | 1.43 % change on previous year | 2022 | down 87.4% | volatile |
| 100 | Germany | 1.39 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 15.1% | volatile |
| 101 | Burundi | 1.33 % change on previous year | 2019 | down 61.8% | volatile |
| 102 | Australia | 1.32 % change on previous year | 1992 | up 10.1% | volatile |
| 103 | Finland | 1.3 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 212.3% | volatile |
| 104 | Botswana | 1.22 % change on previous year | 2007 | down 94.4% | volatile |
| 105 | Algeria | 1.03 % change on previous year | 1997 | down 93.1% | volatile |
| 106 | Lithuania | 0.963 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 117.6% | volatile |
| 107 | Tunisia | 0.9323 % change on previous year | 2023 | up 127.0% | volatile |
| 108 | Bahrain | 0.9232 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 66.3% | volatile |
| 109 | Malawi | 0.9169 % change on previous year | 2019 | down 91.6% | falling |
| 110 | Ecuador | 0.9084 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 70.2% | volatile |
| 111 | Mexico | 0.86 % change on previous year | 2023 | up 802.2% | volatile |
| 112 | Lebanon | 0.8305 % change on previous year | 2014 | up 114.1% | volatile |
| 113 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 0.7558 % change on previous year | 2023 | down 34.8% | volatile |
| 114 | United States Virgin Islands | 0.7143 % change on previous year | 1995 | down 72.5% | volatile |
| 115 | Indonesia | 0.6911 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 26.7% | volatile |
| 116 | Belgium | 0.6009 % change on previous year | 2023 | up 8.5% | volatile |
| 117 | Mauritius | 0.5496 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 70.1% | volatile |
| 118 | Hong Kong, China | 0.5332 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 146.8% | volatile |
| 119 | Sri Lanka | 0.4969 % change on previous year | 2023 | up 1.1% | volatile |
| 120 | Maldives | 0.4638 % change on previous year | 2019 | up 104.0% | volatile |
| 121 | Samoa | 0.4146 % change on previous year | 2010 | up 106.6% | volatile |
| 122 | Ireland | 0.4105 % change on previous year | 2023 | — | volatile |
| 123 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 0.3717 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 84.8% | volatile |
| 124 | United States of America | 0.3005 % change on previous year | 2023 | down 78.4% | volatile |
| 125 | Serbia | 0.2561 % change on previous year | 2022 | down 76.5% | volatile |
| 126 | Romania | 0.2558 % change on previous year | 2023 | up 108.2% | volatile |
| 127 | Jordan | 0.214 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 106.0% | volatile |
| 128 | Tanzania, United Republic of | 0.1928 % change on previous year | 2020 | — | volatile |
| 129 | Russian Federation | 0.1703 % change on previous year | 2023 | up 104.2% | volatile |
| 130 | Malta | 0.1678 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 57.2% | volatile |
| 131 | Azerbaijan | 0.1178 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 105.1% | volatile |
| 132 | Kazakhstan | 0.1038 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 99.2% | volatile |
| 133 | New Zealand | 0.0989 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 47.6% | volatile |
| 134 | France | 0.0096 % change on previous year | 2019 | up 100.4% | volatile |
| 135 | Belize | 0 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 135 | Mauritania | 0 % change on previous year | 2020 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 135 | Panama | 0 % change on previous year | 2017 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 135 | Tuvalu | 0 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 135 | Western Sahara | 0 % change on previous year | 1980 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 135 | Montserrat | 0 % change on previous year | 2020 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 135 | Niue | 0 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 135 | Falkland Islands, Malvinas | 0 % change on previous year | 1996 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 135 | Saint Pierre and Miquelon | 0 % change on previous year | 1997 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 135 | Tokelau | 0 % change on previous year | 2021 | — | volatile |
| 145 | Austria | -0.0123 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 98.1% | volatile |
| 146 | Croatia | -0.0451 % change on previous year | 2023 | down 104.9% | volatile |
| 147 | Canada | -0.0622 % change on previous year | 1996 | down 121.8% | volatile |
| 148 | Czechia | -0.0878 % change on previous year | 2013 | down 113.1% | volatile |
| 149 | Sweden | -0.1142 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 97.1% | volatile |
| 150 | South Africa | -0.1818 % change on previous year | 2023 | down 114.8% | volatile |
| 151 | Japan | -0.3416 % change on previous year | 2023 | down 188.4% | volatile |
| 152 | Korea | -0.3417 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 148.0% | volatile |
| 153 | Albania | -0.3497 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 47.7% | volatile |
| 154 | Sierra Leone | -0.3771 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 104.1% | volatile |
| 155 | Denmark | -0.5448 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 106.4% | volatile |
| 156 | Netherlands | -0.564 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 73.5% | volatile |
| 157 | Bhutan | -0.8786 % change on previous year | 2023 | up 85.8% | volatile |
| 158 | Barbados | -0.9554 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 85.8% | volatile |
| 159 | Anguilla | -1.03 % change on previous year | 2007 | down 167.0% | volatile |
| 160 | North Macedonia | -1.27 % change on previous year | 2023 | down 195.2% | volatile |
| 161 | Poland | -1.33 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 35.1% | volatile |
| 162 | Saudi Arabia | -1.46 % change on previous year | 2022 | down 15.3% | volatile |
| 163 | Belarus | -1.52 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 73.5% | volatile |
| 164 | Aruba | -1.6 % change on previous year | 2016 | down 150.2% | volatile |
| 165 | Latvia | -2.06 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 28.9% | volatile |
| 166 | Republic of Moldova | -2.14 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 37.6% | volatile |
| 167 | Thailand | -2.24 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 151.1% | volatile |
| 168 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | -2.36 % change on previous year | 2023 | down 473.9% | volatile |
| 169 | Cape Verde | -2.59 % change on previous year | 2022 | down 224.8% | volatile |
| 170 | Madagascar | -2.59 % change on previous year | 2019 | down 111.2% | volatile |
| 171 | Tonga | -2.69 % change on previous year | 2015 | down 205.0% | volatile |
| 172 | Costa Rica | -2.69 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 2,711.9% | volatile |
| 173 | Honduras | -2.7 % change on previous year | 2022 | down 120.0% | volatile |
| 174 | Liechtenstein | -2.7 % change on previous year | 2021 | down 173.6% | volatile |
| 175 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | -2.93 % change on previous year | 2023 | up 78.9% | volatile |
| 176 | Hungary | -3.09 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 58.5% | volatile |
| 177 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | -3.23 % change on previous year | 2022 | down 126.2% | volatile |
| 178 | Singapore | -3.26 % change on previous year | 2023 | down 149.2% | volatile |
| 179 | Ukraine | -3.29 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 17.3% | volatile |
| 180 | Andorra | -3.97 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 51.0% | volatile |
| 181 | Uganda | -4.06 % change on previous year | 2014 | down 412.3% | volatile |
| 182 | Saint Lucia | -4.16 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 251.3% | volatile |
| 183 | San Marino | -4.29 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 440.0% | volatile |
| 184 | Solomon Islands | -4.35 % change on previous year | 2012 | down 310.8% | volatile |
| 185 | Armenia | -4.67 % change on previous year | 2024 | up 67.5% | volatile |
| 186 | El Salvador | -5.14 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 1,787.0% | volatile |
| 187 | Congo | -5.44 % change on previous year | 2004 | down 198.3% | volatile |
| 188 | Ghana | -5.81 % change on previous year | 2021 | down 329.9% | volatile |
| 189 | Cuba | -6.67 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 392.6% | volatile |
| 190 | Puerto Rico | -6.75 % change on previous year | 2016 | up 45.8% | volatile |
| 191 | Marshall Islands | -6.86 % change on previous year | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 192 | Italy | -7.6 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 163.2% | volatile |
| 193 | Micronesia, Federated States of | -8.52 % change on previous year | 2021 | down 197.2% | volatile |
| 194 | Malaysia | -9.2 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 293.7% | volatile |
| 195 | Egypt | -11.22 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 1,695.4% | volatile |
| 196 | Jamaica | -11.98 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 194.8% | volatile |
| 197 | Vanuatu | -12.02 % change on previous year | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 198 | Suriname | -12.66 % change on previous year | 2021 | down 755.2% | volatile |
| 199 | Gabon | -12.99 % change on previous year | 1997 | down 685.8% | volatile |
| 200 | Nicaragua | -14.01 % change on previous year | 2023 | down 304.2% | volatile |
| 201 | Bahamas | -16.88 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 506.5% | volatile |
| 202 | Chad | -27.98 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 421.4% | volatile |
| 203 | Comoros | -29.89 % change on previous year | 2018 | down 252.8% | volatile |
| 204 | Brazil | -31.57 % change on previous year | 2024 | down 4,649.8% | volatile |
| 205 | British Virgin Islands | -35.22 % change on previous year | 2023 | down 1,467.5% | volatile |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- AIMS: Central Asia 21.26 % change on previous year
- SDG: Central Asia 21.26 % change on previous year
- GPE: Europe & Central Asia Wb Fy24, December 2024 19.26 % change on previous year
- MDG: Caucasus and Central Asia 18.18 % change on previous year
- UIS: Central Asia 17.36 % change on previous year
- ESCAP: Lldc (lldc_e) (unsdcode:98412) 15.01 % change on previous year
- SDG: Australia and New Zealand 14.98 % change on previous year
- ESCAP: Pacific (pac) (unsdcode:98418) 14.21 % change on previous year
- AIMS: Pacific 14.2 % change on previous year
- SDG: Oceania 14.2 % change on previous year
- ESCWA: Maghreb Subregion (unsdcode:98504) 12.24 % change on previous year
- ALECSO: Maghreb Countries 12.11 % change on previous year
- ECA: Amu (unsdcode:98111) 12.11 % change on previous year
- WB: Ida Blend 11.22 % change on previous year
- ESCAP: Countries With Special Needs (csn) (unsdcode:98434) 10.9 % change on previous year
- GPE: Latin America & Caribbean Wb Fy24, December 2024 10.59 % change on previous year
- Cecc-sica 9.89 % change on previous year
- SDG: Landlocked Developing Countries 9.88 % change on previous year
- ESCAP: Eco (eco) (unsdcode:98407) 9 % change on previous year
- ESCAP: North and Central Asia (nca) (unsdcode:98417) 8.94 % change on previous year
- WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd) 8.9 % change on previous year
- WB: Middle East & North Africa (excluding High Income) 8.81 % change on previous year
- WB: Europe & Central Asia (excluding High Income) 8.72 % change on previous year
- UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia Programme Countries 8.03 % change on previous year
- ECE: Cis (cwg) (unsdcode:98201) 7.62 % change on previous year
- ESCWA: Arab Low-income Countries (lics) (unsdcode:98509) 7.57 % change on previous year
- GPE: South Asia Wb Fy24, December 2024 7.51 % change on previous year
- ECE: Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (cis) (unsdcode:98202) 7.46 % change on previous year
- MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India) 6.94 % change on previous year
- GPE: Non Fragile & Non Conflict-affected Countries (non-fcac) Fy24, December 2024 6.58 % change on previous year
- GPE: Region 3 6.58 % change on previous year
- SDG: Central and Southern Asia 6.47 % change on previous year
- WB: Ida Total 5.74 % change on previous year
- WB: Global Partnership for Education (july 2019) 5.7 % change on previous year
- UNICEF: Central and Eastern Europe/commonwealth of Independent States 5.43 % change on previous year
- UNICEF: Eastern Europe and Central Asia 5.43 % change on previous year
- ESCAP: Pacific Island Developing Economies (pide) (unsdcode:98427) 5.13 % change on previous year
- MDG: Oceania 5.13 % change on previous year
- SDG: Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand) 5.13 % change on previous year
- WB: Europe & Central Asia (ida & Ibrd) 5.04 % change on previous year
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number). Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number). Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.