Countries With the Highest Primary Completion
Every country with a figure for primary completion, ranked from highest to lowest. The top three are Germany (100%), Israel (100%) and Japan (100%). The middle country of the 165 has 97.4%.
What this measures
Primary completion rate, modelled estimate, in % of children. Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. For this measure, higher is better.
The share of children who finish primary school. UNESCO estimates it from household surveys and uses a statistical model to fill in across years. It is not the World Bank's primary completion rate, which is a ratio built from school enrolment counts of children entering the last grade. This one asks whether the child actually finished.
This measure mostly follows how rich a country is, so this ranking is close to a ranking by national income. Each country’s page also ranks it against countries with similar incomes, which is often the fairer comparison.
The full ranking
Each country’s latest figure, from 2025–2025. The year beside each value says when it was measured.
| Rank | Country | Primary completion | Year | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Germany | 100% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 2 | Israel | 100% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 3 | Japan | 100% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 4 | Korea, Rep. | 100% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 5 | Qatar | 100% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 6 | United States | 100% | 2025 | North America |
| 7 | Austria | 100% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 8 | Sweden | 100% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 9 | Italy | 99.9% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 10 | Denmark | 99.9% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 11 | Canada | 99.9% | 2025 | North America |
| 12 | Czechia | 99.9% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 13 | Mauritius | 99.9% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 14 | United Kingdom | 99.9% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 15 | Malaysia | 99.8% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 16 | Slovak Republic | 99.8% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 17 | Turkmenistan | 99.8% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 18 | Ireland | 99.8% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 19 | Uzbekistan | 99.8% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 20 | Belarus | 99.8% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 21 | Georgia | 99.8% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 22 | Netherlands | 99.8% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 23 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 99.8% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 24 | Norway | 99.8% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 25 | Switzerland | 99.8% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 26 | Croatia | 99.8% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 27 | Russian Federation | 99.7% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 28 | Mongolia | 99.7% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 29 | Kazakhstan | 99.7% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 30 | Finland | 99.7% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 31 | Poland | 99.7% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 32 | Lithuania | 99.7% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 33 | Serbia | 99.7% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 34 | West Bank and Gaza | 99.6% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 35 | Latvia | 99.6% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 36 | France | 99.6% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 37 | St. Lucia | 99.6% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 38 | Ukraine | 99.6% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 39 | North Macedonia | 99.5% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 40 | Australia | 99.5% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 41 | Estonia | 99.5% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 42 | Slovenia | 99.5% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 43 | Cuba | 99.5% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 44 | Ecuador | 99.5% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 45 | Portugal | 99.5% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 46 | Armenia | 99.5% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 47 | Barbados | 99.5% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 48 | Kyrgyz Republic | 99.4% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 49 | Jamaica | 99.4% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 50 | Maldives | 99.4% | 2025 | South Asia |
| 51 | Greece | 99.3% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 52 | Guyana | 99.2% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 53 | Thailand | 99.2% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 54 | Hungary | 99.2% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 55 | Bulgaria | 99.1% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 56 | Romania | 99.1% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 57 | Botswana | 99% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 58 | China | 99% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 59 | Cyprus | 99% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 60 | Belgium | 98.9% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 61 | Costa Rica | 98.9% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 62 | Fiji | 98.9% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 63 | Indonesia | 98.9% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 64 | Montenegro | 98.9% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 65 | Moldova | 98.8% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 66 | Tajikistan | 98.8% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 67 | Tuvalu | 98.8% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 68 | Luxembourg | 98.6% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 69 | Viet Nam | 98.6% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 70 | Spain | 98.6% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 71 | Jordan | 98.5% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 72 | Samoa | 98.5% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 73 | Bolivia | 98.5% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 74 | Azerbaijan | 98.4% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 75 | Tonga | 98.4% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 76 | Mexico | 98.2% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 77 | Malta | 98.1% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 78 | Syrian Arab Republic | 98.1% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 79 | Peru | 98.1% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 80 | Trinidad and Tobago | 98% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 81 | Turkiye | 98% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 82 | Uruguay | 97.9% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 83 | Albania | 97.4% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 84 | Chile | 97.4% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 85 | Iceland | 97.4% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 86 | South Africa | 97.1% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 87 | Tunisia | 96.9% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 88 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 96.7% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 89 | Argentina | 96.7% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 90 | India | 96.5% | 2025 | South Asia |
| 91 | Algeria | 96.5% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 92 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 96.3% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 93 | Philippines | 96.2% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 94 | Dominican Republic | 96.1% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 95 | Colombia | 95.5% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 96 | Panama | 95.1% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 97 | Paraguay | 94.9% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 98 | Kiribati | 94.4% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 99 | Congo, Rep. | 93.9% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 100 | El Salvador | 93.7% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 101 | Sao Tome and Principe | 93.7% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 102 | Bhutan | 93.6% | 2025 | South Asia |
| 103 | Brazil | 93% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 104 | Suriname | 91.3% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 105 | Nepal | 90.8% | 2025 | South Asia |
| 106 | Bangladesh | 90.8% | 2025 | South Asia |
| 107 | Belize | 90.2% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 108 | Myanmar | 89.8% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 109 | Honduras | 89.6% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 110 | Djibouti | 89.4% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 111 | Naoero | 89.2% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 112 | Kenya | 88.4% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 113 | Venezuela, RB | 88% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 114 | Togo | 87.8% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 115 | Guatemala | 87% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 116 | Zimbabwe | 86.9% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 117 | Namibia | 86.3% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 118 | Comoros | 86.1% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 119 | Morocco | 84.6% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 120 | Iraq | 83.3% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 121 | Cambodia | 82.7% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 122 | Eswatini | 82.5% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 123 | Timor-Leste | 82.1% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 124 | Lesotho | 79.8% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 125 | Vanuatu | 79.8% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 126 | Ghana | 79.1% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 127 | Cote d'Ivoire | 78.8% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 128 | Cameroon | 77.8% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 129 | Nicaragua | 77.7% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 130 | Niger | 77.5% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 131 | Nigeria | 76.8% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 132 | Tanzania | 75.7% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 133 | Sudan | 75.6% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 134 | Gambia, The | 74.8% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 135 | Yemen, Rep. | 74.8% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 136 | Gabon | 74.3% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 137 | Equatorial Guinea | 73.6% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 138 | Burkina Faso | 72.2% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 139 | Rwanda | 71.9% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 140 | Lao PDR | 70.1% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 141 | Benin | 70.1% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 142 | Sierra Leone | 68.8% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 143 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 68.4% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 144 | Zambia | 67.4% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 145 | Papua New Guinea | 66% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 146 | Senegal | 65.7% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 147 | Angola | 65.2% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 148 | Ethiopia | 64.6% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 149 | Guinea | 61% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 150 | Burundi | 60.5% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 151 | Pakistan | 59.5% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 152 | Malawi | 57.7% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 153 | Afghanistan | 55.4% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 154 | Madagascar | 54% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 155 | Mozambique | 53.5% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 156 | Mauritania | 51.8% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 157 | Haiti | 50.5% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 158 | Mali | 50% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 159 | Chad | 37.8% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 160 | Central African Republic | 30.8% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 161 | Guinea-Bissau | 30.5% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 162 | Uganda | 30.4% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 163 | Liberia | 29.8% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 164 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 28.8% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 165 | South Sudan | 7.94% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
More on primary completion
- Countries With the Lowest Primary Completion
- Primary completion by country: trend over time and what it goes with
Related rankings
- Countries With the Highest PISA Maths
- Countries With the Highest PISA Reading
- Countries With the Highest PISA Science
- Countries With the Highest Expected Schooling
- Countries With the Highest Mean Years of Schooling
- Countries With the Highest Education Spending
- Countries With the Highest Primary Enrollment
- Countries With the Highest Secondary Enrollment
A ranking describes countries, not the people in them, and a high or low place does not by itself say why. All country rankings.