Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years) by country
February 2026 Data Release
Countries reporting
223
Highest
4 years
Bulgaria
Lowest
1 years
Falkland Islands, Malvinas
Median
3 years
Years covered
56
1970–2025
Data points
12,020
What the numbers show
Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years) is currently reported for 223 countries. The highest value is 4 years in Bulgaria; the lowest is 1 years in Falkland Islands, Malvinas.
The median across all reporting countries is 3 years, and the mean is 2.71 years.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 4.
Over the past decade 7 countries rose and 7 fell. The largest increase was in Angola (up 200.0%), and the largest decrease in Marshall Islands, Republic of the (down 50.0%).
Theoretical duration of pre-primary education: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bulgaria | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Estonia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Finland | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Georgia | 4 years | 2025 | up 33.3% | rising |
| 1 | Gambia, The | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Croatia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Hungary | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Kyrgyz Republic | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Lithuania | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Latvia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Moldova, Republic of | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Mongolia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Papua New Guinea | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Poland | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Russian Federation | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Serbia, Republic of | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Sweden | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Tajikistan, Republic of | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Uzbekistan, Republic of | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | South Africa | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Zambia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | French Guiana | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Guadeloupe | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Martinique | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Réunion | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | St. Pierre and Miquelon | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Anguilla, United Kingdom-British Overseas Territory | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Cook Islands | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Montserrat, United Kingdom-British Overseas Territory | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Tokelau | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Niue | 1 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Saint Helena | 1 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Angola | 3 years | 2025 | up 200.0% | falling |
| 27 | Albania | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Andorra, Principality of | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Argentina | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Armenia, Republic of | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | American Samoa | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Austria | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Azerbaijan, Republic of | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Burundi | 3 years | 2025 | up 50.0% | falling |
| 27 | Belgium | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Burkina Faso | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Bangladesh | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Bahrain, Kingdom of | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Belarus, Republic of | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Brunei Darussalam | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Bhutan | 3 years | 2025 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 27 | Botswana | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Central African Republic | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Canada | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Chile | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | China (People’s Republic of) | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Côte d'Ivoire | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Congo, Republic of | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Colombia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Comoros, Union of the | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Cabo Verde | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Cuba | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 27 | Curaçao, Kingdom of the Netherlands | 3 years | 2025 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 27 | Cyprus | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Czechia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Germany | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Denmark | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 27 | Dominican Republic | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Ecuador | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 27 | Spain | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Ethiopia, The Federal Democratic Republic of | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Fiji, Republic of | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | France | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Micronesia, Federated States of | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Gabon | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Guinea | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Guinea-Bissau | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Equatorial Guinea, Republic of | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Guatemala | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Honduras | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Haiti | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | India | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Iceland | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Israel | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Italy | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Jamaica | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Japan | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Kazakhstan, Republic of | 3 years | 2025 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 27 | Kenya | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Cambodia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Kiribati | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Korea | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 27 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Lebanon | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Liberia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Lesotho, Kingdom of | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Luxembourg | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Macao Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Monaco | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Madagascar, Republic of | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Mexico | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | North Macedonia, Republic of | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Mali | 3 years | 2025 | down 25.0% | rising |
| 27 | Montenegro | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Mozambique, Republic of | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Mauritania, Islamic Republic of | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Malawi | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | New Caledonia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Niger | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Nicaragua | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Netherlands | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Norway | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Peru | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Palau, Republic of | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Puerto Rico | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Portugal | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Paraguay | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | French Polynesia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Qatar | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Romania | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Rwanda | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Saudi Arabia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Senegal | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Singapore | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Solomon Islands | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Sierra Leone | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | El Salvador | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | San Marino, Republic of | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Somalia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | South Sudan, Republic of | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | São Tomé and Príncipe, Democratic Republic of | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Slovak Republic | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Slovenia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Eswatini, Kingdom of | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Sint Maarten, Kingdom of the Netherlands | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Syrian Arab Republic | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Chad | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Togo | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Thailand | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Turkmenistan | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Tunisia | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Türkiye | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Tuvalu | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Uganda | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Ukraine | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Uruguay | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | United States | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Venezuela, República Bolivariana de | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Vietnam | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Yemen, Republic of | 3 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Aruba, Kingdom of the Netherlands | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | United Arab Emirates | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Antigua and Barbuda | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Australia | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 146 | Benin | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 146 | Bahamas, The | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Belize | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 146 | Bolivia | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Brazil | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 146 | Barbados | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Switzerland | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Cameroon | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Costa Rica | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Cayman Islands | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 146 | Djibouti | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Dominica | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Egypt, Arab Republic of | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Eritrea, The State of | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | United Kingdom | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Ghana | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Gibraltar | 2 years | 2025 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 146 | Greece | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Grenada | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Guyana | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Indonesia | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Ireland | 2 years | 2025 | up 100.0% | falling |
| 146 | Iraq | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Jordan | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | St. Kitts and Nevis | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Kuwait | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Libya | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | St. Lucia | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Liechtenstein, Principality of | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Sri Lanka | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 146 | Morocco | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Maldives | 2 years | 2025 | down 33.3% | rising |
| 146 | Malta | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 146 | Myanmar | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 146 | Mauritius | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Malaysia | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Namibia | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 146 | Nepal | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 146 | Nauru, Republic of | 2 years | 2025 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 146 | New Zealand | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Oman | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Pakistan | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Panama | 2 years | 2025 | down 33.3% | rising |
| 146 | Korea, Democratic People's Republic of | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Palestine, State of | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Sudan | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Suriname | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Seychelles | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Tonga | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 146 | Trinidad and Tobago | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | British Virgin Islands | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Vanuatu | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 146 | Samoa | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 146 | Zimbabwe | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 146 | Western Sahara | 2 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 207 | Afghanistan, Islamic Republic of | 1 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 207 | Bermuda | 1 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 207 | Algeria | 1 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 207 | Guam | 1 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 207 | Iran, Islamic Republic of | 1 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 207 | Marshall Islands, Republic of the | 1 years | 2025 | down 50.0% | falling |
| 207 | Nigeria | 1 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 207 | Philippines | 1 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 207 | Tanzania, United Republic of | 1 years | 2025 | down 50.0% | falling |
| 207 | United States Virgin Islands | 1 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 207 | Falkland Islands, Malvinas | 1 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
About this data
February 2026 Data Release