Lesotho vs South Africa: Girls in primary school

Girls in primary school in 2017: 93.4% in Lesotho and 86.7% in South Africa, by Our World in Data estimates. In 2017 the value was higher in Lesotho, by 6.7 percentage points, or 1.08 times that in South Africa.

Watch it change on the map

% of girls of primary-school age · Our World in Data

LesothoSouth AfricaWorld

What the numbers say

Lesotho has been higher since 2017, when it overtook South Africa.
The world as a whole: 88.2% in 2017.

Every year

% of girls of primary-school age · Our World in Data

Year	Lesotho	South Africa	World
2018	–	–	88.2
2017	93.4	86.7	88.2
2016	91.1	–	88.3
2015	89.1	–	88.2
2014	88.1	–	88.3
2013	87.4	–	88.2
2012	89.9	–	88.2
2011	89.5	–	88.1
2010	89.5	–	87.9
2009	88.4	–	87.9
2008	87.5	–	87.6
2007	85.8	–	87.2
2006	87.8	–	86
2005	85.7	88.9	85.4
2004	83.9	89.3	84.7
2003	84	89.7	83.5
2002	81.1	88.3	81.4
2001	78.9	87.6	81
2000	77.2	86.3	80.7
1999	57.4	88	79.9
1998	61.1	86.7	78.9
1997	–	–	78.1
1996	69.1	–	77.9
1995	68.5	90.9	78
1994	70.5	90.2	78.3
1993	70.1	–	78
1992	72.8	–	77.7
1991	73.1	89	77.8
1990	72.1	–	77.3
1989	73.5	–	77.6
1988	74.7	–	76.6
1987	74.4	–	75.8
1986	73.5	–	75.3
1985	74.4	–	74
1980	78	88	75.8
1975	79	88	72.9
1970	84	88	69
1965	84	78.2	66
1960	75.9	75.6	63.1
1955	79.2	68.4	57.4
1950	77.6	61.3	51.4
1945	64.9	54.2	43.5
1940	52.1	47.1	40
1935	39.4	39.9	38.2
1930	26.7	32.8	36.4
1925	20	25.7	33
1920	14.6	18.6	30.5
1915	10.5	11.4	29.2
1910	7.4	4.3	28.1
1905	5.1	1.7	25.1
1900	3.5	1.5	23.3
1895	2.4	1.3	21.8
1890	1.6	1	20
1885	1.1	0.8	19
1880	0.7	0.6	17.2
1875	0.5	0.4	15.7
1870	0.3	0.3	13.2
1865	0.2	0.3	10.6
1860	0.1	0.2	9.3
1855	0.1	0.1	8
1850	0.1	0.1	6.8
1845	0	0.1	5.9
1840	0	0.1	5.2
1835	0	0.1	4.5
1830	0	0	4
1825	0	0	3.5
1820	0	0	3.1

Each country on its own

Good to know

The share of girls of primary-school age who are enrolled in school.
Source: Our World in Data, joining historical estimates to the World Bank’s.
Ranks count the 97 countries with a value in 2012, highest first.
The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.

How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time

Lesotho vs South Africa: Girls in primary school

What the numbers say

Every year

Each country on its own

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Lesotho vs South Africa

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