Average years of schooling in Mauritania
Mauritania: Average years of schooling was 4.92 years in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Average years of schooling in Mauritania, 1870–2020
Source: Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2020, average years of schooling in Mauritania stood at 4.92 years. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
The figure is up 9.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling in Mauritania peaked at 4.92 years in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.3976 years, in 1870.
That places Mauritania 141st out of 162 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Average years of schooling in Mauritania, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 0.3976 years | — |
| 1880 | 0.5302 years | +33.3% |
| 1890 | 0.6627 years | +25.0% |
| 1900 | 0.7953 years | +20.0% |
| 1913 | 0.9278 years | +16.7% |
| 1925 | 1.26 years | +35.7% |
| 1929 | 1.19 years | -5.3% |
| 1933 | 1.28 years | +7.4% |
| 1938 | 1.33 years | +3.5% |
| 1950 | 1.46 years | +10.0% |
| 1955 | 1.5 years | +2.9% |
| 1960 | 1.54 years | +2.8% |
| 1965 | 1.6 years | +3.5% |
| 1970 | 1.7 years | +6.6% |
| 1975 | 1.82 years | +6.6% |
| 1980 | 2.06 years | +13.3% |
| 1985 | 2.31 years | +12.1% |
| 1990 | 2.58 years | +12.1% |
| 1995 | 2.95 years | +14.1% |
| 2000 | 3.38 years | +14.6% |
| 2005 | 3.95 years | +16.9% |
| 2010 | 4.49 years | +13.5% |
| 2015 | 4.27 years | -4.9% |
| 2020 | 4.92 years | +15.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 0.3976 years | 0.3976 years | 0.3976 years | 1 |
| 1880s | 0.5302 years | 0.5302 years | 0.5302 years | 1 |
| 1890s | 0.6627 years | 0.6627 years | 0.6627 years | 1 |
| 1900s | 0.7953 years | 0.7953 years | 0.7953 years | 1 |
| 1910s | 0.9278 years | 0.9278 years | 0.9278 years | 1 |
| 1920s | 1.23 years | 1.19 years | 1.26 years | 2 |
| 1930s | 1.3 years | 1.28 years | 1.33 years | 2 |
| 1950s | 1.48 years | 1.46 years | 1.5 years | 2 |
| 1960s | 1.57 years | 1.54 years | 1.6 years | 2 |
| 1970s | 1.76 years | 1.7 years | 1.82 years | 2 |
| 1980s | 2.18 years | 2.06 years | 2.31 years | 2 |
| 1990s | 2.77 years | 2.58 years | 2.95 years | 2 |
| 2000s | 3.67 years | 3.38 years | 3.95 years | 2 |
| 2010s | 4.38 years | 4.27 years | 4.49 years | 2 |
| 2020s | 4.92 years | 4.92 years | 4.92 years | 1 |
Countries ranked near Mauritania
More education data for Mauritania
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 9,029 (2020)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 52,338 (2020)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 258,591 (2020)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 891,821 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.49 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1725 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 891,821 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling in Mauritania?
- Average years of schooling in Mauritania was 4.92 years in 2020, according to Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average years of schooling recorded in Mauritania?
- The highest recorded value was 4.92 years in 2020.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling recorded in Mauritania?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3976 years in 1870.
- How does Mauritania rank for average years of schooling?
- Mauritania ranks 141st out of 162 countries with data for 2020.
- Is average years of schooling rising or falling in Mauritania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Mauritania data come from?
- The figures come from Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Average years of schooling. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Average number of years of total schooling (primary, secondary, and tertiary) for the population aged 15 and over.