South Africa vs Zambia: Girls in primary school

Girls in primary school in 2017: 86.7% in South Africa and 84.9% in Zambia, by Our World in Data estimates. In 2017 the value was higher in South Africa, by 1.8 percentage points, or 1.02 times that in Zambia.

Watch it change on the map

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

South AfricaZambiaWorld

What the numbers say

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

Every year

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

Year	South Africa	Zambia	World
2018	–	–	88.2
2017	86.7	84.9	88.2
2016	–	–	88.3
2015	–	–	88.2
2014	–	–	88.3
2013	–	87.4	88.2
2012	–	90.4	88.2
2011	–	88.7	88.1
2010	–	85.6	87.9
2009	–	88	87.9
2008	–	–	87.6
2007	–	90.2	87.2
2006	–	90.2	86
2005	88.9	90	85.4
2004	89.3	81.1	84.7
2003	89.7	–	83.5
2002	88.3	67.2	81.4
2001	87.6	65.3	81
2000	86.3	65.1	80.7
1999	88	65.1	79.9
1998	86.7	67	78.9
1997	–	–	78.1
1996	–	–	77.9
1995	90.9	69.8	78
1994	90.2	71.5	78.3
1993	–	–	78
1992	–	–	77.7
1991	89	–	77.8
1990	–	–	77.3
1989	–	–	77.6
1988	–	78.2	76.6
1987	–	–	75.8
1986	–	79.7	75.3
1985	–	–	74
1980	88	81	75.8
1975	88	78	72.9
1970	88	73.4	69
1965	78.2	49.5	66
1960	75.6	37	63.1
1955	68.4	33	57.4
1950	61.3	29.2	51.4
1945	54.2	19.9	43.5
1940	47.1	12.8	40
1935	39.9	7.8	38.2
1930	32.8	4.4	36.4
1925	25.7	2.4	33
1920	18.6	1.1	30.5
1915	11.4	0.4	29.2
1910	4.3	0	28.1
1905	1.7	0	25.1
1900	1.5	0	23.3
1895	1.3	0	21.8
1890	1	0	20
1885	0.8	0	19
1880	0.6	0	17.2
1875	0.4	0	15.7
1870	0.3	0	13.2
1865	0.3	0	10.6
1860	0.2	0	9.3
1855	0.1	0	8
1850	0.1	0	6.8
1845	0.1	0	5.9
1840	0.1	0	5.2
1835	0.1	0	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

South Africa vs Zambia: Girls in primary school

What the numbers say

Every year

Each country on its own

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South Africa vs Zambia

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