Theoretical duration of primary education (years) by country
February 2026 Data Release
Countries reporting
224
Highest
8 years
Guam
Lowest
4 years
Uzbekistan, Republic of
Median
6 years
Years covered
56
1970–2025
Data points
12,152
What the numbers show
Theoretical duration of primary education (years) is currently reported for 224 countries. The highest value is 8 years in Guam; the lowest is 4 years in Uzbekistan, Republic of.
The median across all reporting countries is 6 years, and the mean is 5.74 years.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 2.
Theoretical duration of primary education: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guam | 8 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Ireland | 8 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Anguilla, United Kingdom-British Overseas Territory | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Montserrat, United Kingdom-British Overseas Territory | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 3 | Antigua and Barbuda | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 3 | Australia | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 3 | Botswana | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 3 | Dominica | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 3 | Denmark | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 3 | Grenada | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 3 | Iceland | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 3 | St. Kitts and Nevis | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 3 | St. Lucia | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 3 | Lesotho, Kingdom of | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 3 | Mozambique, Republic of | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 3 | Namibia | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 3 | Norway | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 3 | Eswatini, Kingdom of | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 3 | Trinidad and Tobago | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 3 | Tanzania, United Republic of | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 3 | Uganda | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 3 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 3 | British Virgin Islands | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 3 | South Africa | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 3 | Zambia | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 3 | Zimbabwe | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 3 | Falkland Islands, Malvinas | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 3 | Norfolk Island | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 3 | Cook Islands | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 3 | Niue | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 3 | Saint Helena | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 3 | Tokelau | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Aruba, Kingdom of the Netherlands | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Afghanistan, Islamic Republic of | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Angola | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Andorra, Principality of | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Argentina | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | American Samoa | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Burundi | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Belgium | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Benin | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Burkina Faso | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Bahrain, Kingdom of | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Bahamas, The | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Belize | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Bermuda | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Bolivia | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Barbados | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Brunei Darussalam | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Bhutan | 6 years | 2025 | down 14.3% | rising |
| 27 | Central African Republic | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Canada | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Switzerland | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Chile | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | China (People’s Republic of) | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Côte d'Ivoire | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Cameroon | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Congo, Republic of | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Cabo Verde | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Costa Rica | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Cuba | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Curaçao, Kingdom of the Netherlands | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Cayman Islands | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Cyprus | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Dominican Republic | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Ecuador | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Egypt, Arab Republic of | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Spain | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Estonia | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Ethiopia, The Federal Democratic Republic of | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Finland | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Fiji, Republic of | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Micronesia, Federated States of | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | United Kingdom | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Georgia | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Ghana | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Gibraltar | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Guinea | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Gambia, The | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Guinea-Bissau | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Equatorial Guinea, Republic of | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Greece | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Guatemala | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Guyana | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Honduras | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Haiti | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Indonesia | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Iran, Islamic Republic of | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Iraq | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Israel | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Jamaica | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Jordan | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Japan | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Kenya | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Cambodia | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Kiribati | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Korea | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Lebanon | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Liberia | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Libya | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Luxembourg | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Latvia | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Macao Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Morocco | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Maldives | 6 years | 2025 | down 14.3% | rising |
| 27 | Mexico | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Marshall Islands, Republic of the | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Mali | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Malta | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Mauritania, Islamic Republic of | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Mauritius | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Malawi | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Malaysia | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Niger | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Nigeria | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Nicaragua | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Netherlands | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Nauru, Republic of | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | New Zealand | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Panama | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Peru | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Philippines | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Palau, Republic of | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Papua New Guinea | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Puerto Rico | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Portugal | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Paraguay | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Qatar | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Rwanda | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Saudi Arabia | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Sudan | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Senegal | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Singapore | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Solomon Islands | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Sierra Leone | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | El Salvador | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | South Sudan, Republic of | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | São Tomé and Príncipe, Democratic Republic of | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Suriname | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Slovenia | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 27 | Sweden | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Sint Maarten, Kingdom of the Netherlands | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Seychelles | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Syrian Arab Republic | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Chad | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Togo | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Thailand | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Tonga | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Tunisia | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Tuvalu | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 27 | Uruguay | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | United States | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Venezuela, República Bolivariana de | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | United States Virgin Islands | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Vanuatu | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Samoa | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Yemen, Republic of | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Albania | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 156 | Bangladesh | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 156 | Brazil | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 156 | Colombia | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Comoros, Union of the | 5 years | 2025 | down 16.7% | flat |
| 156 | Czechia | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 156 | Djibouti | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 156 | Algeria | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 156 | Eritrea, The State of | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 156 | France | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Gabon | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 156 | India | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Italy | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Kuwait | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 156 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 156 | Liechtenstein, Principality of | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Sri Lanka | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Monaco | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Madagascar, Republic of | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 156 | North Macedonia, Republic of | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 156 | Myanmar | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Montenegro | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 156 | Mongolia | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 156 | New Caledonia | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Nepal | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Pakistan | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Korea, Democratic People's Republic of | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 156 | French Polynesia | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 156 | Romania | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 156 | San Marino, Republic of | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Vietnam | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | French Guiana | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Guadeloupe | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Martinique | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Réunion | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Western Sahara | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | St. Pierre and Miquelon | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 194 | United Arab Emirates | 4 years | 2025 | down 20.0% | falling |
| 194 | Armenia, Republic of | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 194 | Austria | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 194 | Azerbaijan, Republic of | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 194 | Bulgaria | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 194 | Belarus, Republic of | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 194 | Germany | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 194 | Croatia | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 194 | Hungary | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 194 | Kazakhstan, Republic of | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 194 | Kyrgyz Republic | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 194 | Lithuania | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 194 | Moldova, Republic of | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 194 | Oman | 4 years | 2025 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 194 | Poland | 4 years | 2025 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 194 | Palestine, State of | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 194 | Russian Federation | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 194 | Somalia | 4 years | 2025 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 194 | Serbia, Republic of | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 194 | Slovak Republic | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 194 | Tajikistan, Republic of | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 194 | Turkmenistan | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 194 | Türkiye | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 194 | Ukraine | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 194 | Uzbekistan, Republic of | 4 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
About this data
February 2026 Data Release