Primary completion rate, total (% of relevant age group) in Least developed countries
Least developed countries: Primary completion rate, total (% of relevant age group) was 70.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Primary completion rate, total in Least developed countries, 1972–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of relevant age group.
Analysis
Least developed countries recorded 70.3% for primary completion rate, total in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 4.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary completion rate, total in Least developed countries peaked at 72.2% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 33.8%, in 1972.
That places Least developed countries 38th out of 45 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 53 years of available data.
Primary completion rate, total (% of relevant age group) in Least developed countries, year by year
| Year | % of relevant age group | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 33.8% | — |
| 1973 | 34.8% | +3.0% |
| 1974 | 35.1% | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 35.7% | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 36.3% | +1.5% |
| 1977 | 34.6% | -4.7% |
| 1978 | 35.4% | +2.3% |
| 1979 | 35.9% | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 36.4% | +1.4% |
| 1981 | 37.2% | +2.2% |
| 1982 | 38.4% | +3.3% |
| 1983 | 39.2% | +2.1% |
| 1984 | 41.5% | +5.8% |
| 1985 | 40.0% | -3.6% |
| 1986 | 40.5% | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 40.5% | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 40.3% | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 40.1% | -0.6% |
| 1990 | 41.1% | +2.5% |
| 1991 | 41.9% | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 41.7% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 42.9% | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 42.6% | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 43.1% | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 44.0% | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 44.4% | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 44.6% | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 45.8% | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 46.7% | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 48.5% | +3.7% |
| 2002 | 50.3% | +3.7% |
| 2003 | 51.9% | +3.3% |
| 2004 | 53.5% | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 55.9% | +4.6% |
| 2006 | 57.5% | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 58.5% | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 60.2% | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 63.7% | +5.7% |
| 2010 | 64.2% | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 65.2% | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 66.0% | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 66.4% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 67.3% | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 67.6% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 68.6% | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 69.6% | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 70.8% | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 70.9% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 71.5% | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 72.2% | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 71.0% | -1.6% |
| 2023 | 70.4% | -0.9% |
| 2024 | 70.3% | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 35.2% | 33.8% | 36.3% | 8 |
| 1980s | 39.4% | 36.4% | 41.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 43.2% | 41.1% | 45.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 54.7% | 46.7% | 63.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 67.7% | 64.2% | 70.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 71.1% | 70.3% | 72.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Least developed countries
More aid effectiveness data for Least developed countries
- Net bilateral aid flows from DAC donors, Austria 92.13 million current US$ (2022)
- Net bilateral aid flows from DAC donors, Belgium 410.90 million current US$ (2022)
- Net bilateral aid flows from DAC donors, Canada 1.35 billion current US$ (2022)
- Net bilateral aid flows from DAC donors, European Union institutions 3.75 billion current US$ (2022)
- Net bilateral aid flows from DAC donors, Switzerland 649.96 million current US$ (2022)
- Net bilateral aid flows from DAC donors, Germany 3.12 billion current US$ (2022)
- Net bilateral aid flows from DAC donors, France 1.96 billion current US$ (2022)
- Net bilateral aid flows from DAC donors, United Kingdom 1.48 billion current US$ (2022)
- Net bilateral aid flows from DAC donors, Italy 381.23 million current US$ (2022)
- Net bilateral aid flows from DAC donors, Japan 4.39 billion current US$ (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary completion rate, total in Least developed countries?
- Primary completion rate, total in Least developed countries was 70.3% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest primary completion rate, total recorded in Least developed countries?
- The highest recorded value was 72.2% in 2021.
- What is the lowest primary completion rate, total recorded in Least developed countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.8% in 1972.
- How does Least developed countries rank for primary completion rate, total?
- Least developed countries ranks 38th out of 45 groups with data for 2024.
- Is primary completion rate, total rising or falling in Least developed countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Least developed countries data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Primary completion rate, total (% of relevant age group). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Primary completion rate, or gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, is the number of new entrants (enrollments minus repeaters) in the last grade of primary education, regardless of age, divided by the population at the entrance age for the last grade of primary education. Data limitations preclude adjusting for students who drop out during the final year of primary education.