Theoretical duration of primary education (years) in North Korea
North Korea: Theoretical duration of primary education (years) was 5 years in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
5 years
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
162nd
of 224 countries
All-time high
5 years
in 2014
All-time low
4 years
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Theoretical duration of primary education in North Korea, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
North Korea recorded 5 years for theoretical duration of primary education in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, theoretical duration of primary education in North Korea peaked at 5 years in 2014 and was at its lowest, 4 years, in 1970.
North Korea ranks 162nd of 224 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Theoretical duration of primary education (years) in North Korea, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 4 years | — |
| 1971 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 5 years | +25.0% |
| 2015 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 5 years | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 5 years | +0.0% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 5 years is below the median for low income countries, which is 6 years, 83% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 5 years is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 6 years, 83% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.6 years | 4 years | 5 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years | 6 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 162 Albania 5 years compare
- 162 Bangladesh 5 years compare
- 162 Bosnia and Herzegovina 5 years compare
- 162 Brazil 5 years compare
- 162 Colombia 5 years compare
- 162 Comoros 5 years compare
- 162 Czechia 5 years compare
- 162 Djibouti 5 years compare
- 162 Algeria 5 years compare
- 162 Eritrea 5 years compare
- 162 Western Sahara 5 years compare
- 162 France 5 years compare
- 162 Gabon 5 years compare
- 162 Guadeloupe 5 years compare
- 162 French Guiana 5 years compare
- 162 India 5 years compare
- 162 Italy 5 years compare
- 162 Kuwait 5 years compare
- 162 Laos 5 years compare
- 162 Liechtenstein 5 years compare
- 162 Sri Lanka 5 years compare
- 162 Monaco 5 years compare
- 162 Madagascar 5 years compare
- 162 North Macedonia 5 years compare
- 162 Myanmar 5 years compare
- 162 Montenegro 5 years compare
- 162 Mongolia 5 years compare
- 162 Martinique 5 years compare
- 162 New Caledonia 5 years compare
- 162 Nepal 5 years compare
- 162 Pakistan 5 years compare
- 162 French Polynesia 5 years compare
- 162 Reunion 5 years compare
- 162 Romania 5 years compare
- 162 San Marino 5 years compare
- 162 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 5 years compare
- 162 Vietnam 5 years compare
More education data for North Korea
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of primary education (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,021 tertiary education (2022)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0495 % change on previous year (2022)
- Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is theoretical duration of primary education in North Korea?
- Theoretical duration of primary education in North Korea was 5 years in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest theoretical duration of primary education recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 5 years in 2014.
- What is the lowest theoretical duration of primary education recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 4 years in 1970.
- How does North Korea rank for theoretical duration of primary education?
- North Korea ranks 162nd out of 224 countries with data for 2025.
- Is theoretical duration of primary education rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Theoretical duration of primary education (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release