Countries With the Highest Pupil-teacher Ratios
Every country with a figure for pupil-teacher ratio, ranked from highest to lowest. The top three are Central African Republic (83.4), Rwanda (59.5) and Malawi (58.7). The middle country of the 189 has 19.3.
What this measures
Pupil-teacher ratio, primary, in pupils per teacher. Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. For this measure, higher is worse.
The World Bank's copy stops at 2019.
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 2010–2019. The year beside each value says when it was measured.
| Rank | Country | Pupil-teacher ratio | Year | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central African Republic | 83.4 | 2016 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 2 | Rwanda | 59.5 | 2018 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 3 | Malawi | 58.7 | 2018 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 4 | Chad | 56.9 | 2016 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 5 | Mozambique | 55.3 | 2018 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 6 | Ethiopia | 55.1 | 2011 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 7 | Guinea-Bissau | 51.9 | 2010 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 8 | Tanzania | 50.6 | 2018 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 9 | Angola | 50 | 2015 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 10 | Afghanistan | 48.8 | 2018 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 11 | Guinea | 47.1 | 2016 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 12 | South Sudan | 46.8 | 2015 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 13 | Cameroon | 44.8 | 2018 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 14 | Congo, Rep. | 44.4 | 2012 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 15 | Pakistan | 44.1 | 2018 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 16 | Uganda | 42.7 | 2017 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 17 | Burundi | 42.5 | 2018 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 18 | Zambia | 42.1 | 2017 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 19 | Cote d'Ivoire | 41.8 | 2018 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 20 | Cambodia | 41.7 | 2018 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 21 | Naoero | 40.2 | 2016 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 22 | Togo | 40.1 | 2018 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 23 | Madagascar | 39.8 | 2018 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 24 | Burkina Faso | 39.7 | 2018 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 25 | Benin | 39.2 | 2018 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 26 | Eritrea | 38.7 | 2018 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 27 | Mali | 37.8 | 2018 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 28 | Nigeria | 37.6 | 2010 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 29 | Zimbabwe | 36.4 | 2013 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 30 | Niger | 36.3 | 2017 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 31 | Senegal | 36.3 | 2018 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 32 | Gambia, The | 36.1 | 2018 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 33 | Papua New Guinea | 35.5 | 2016 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 34 | Bhutan | 34.7 | 2018 | South Asia |
| 35 | Mauritania | 34.3 | 2018 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 36 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 33.2 | 2015 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 37 | Lesotho | 32.9 | 2017 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 38 | India | 32.7 | 2017 | South Asia |
| 39 | Sao Tome and Principe | 31.2 | 2017 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 40 | Kenya | 30.7 | 2015 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 41 | Mongolia | 30.4 | 2018 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 42 | South Africa | 30.3 | 2015 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 43 | Samoa | 30.2 | 2010 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 44 | Nicaragua | 30.2 | 2010 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 45 | Bangladesh | 30.1 | 2018 | South Asia |
| 46 | Djibouti | 29.4 | 2018 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 47 | Philippines | 29.1 | 2017 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 48 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 28.5 | 2017 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 49 | Comoros | 28.1 | 2018 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 50 | Fiji | 28 | 2012 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 51 | Sierra Leone | 27.5 | 2018 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 52 | Ghana | 27 | 2019 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 53 | Timor-Leste | 26.9 | 2018 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 54 | Yemen, Rep. | 26.9 | 2016 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 55 | El Salvador | 26.9 | 2018 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 56 | Morocco | 26.8 | 2018 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 57 | Eswatini | 26.6 | 2017 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 58 | Vanuatu | 26.6 | 2015 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 59 | Mexico | 26.6 | 2017 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 60 | Honduras | 25.6 | 2017 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 61 | Kiribati | 25.5 | 2017 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 62 | Solomon Islands | 25.4 | 2018 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 63 | Namibia | 25.1 | 2018 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 64 | Kyrgyz Republic | 25 | 2018 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 65 | Jamaica | 24.8 | 2018 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 66 | Gabon | 24.5 | 2011 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 67 | United Arab Emirates | 24.5 | 2016 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 68 | West Bank and Gaza | 24.5 | 2018 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 69 | Myanmar | 24.4 | 2018 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 70 | Algeria | 24.3 | 2018 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 71 | Ecuador | 24.3 | 2018 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 72 | Paraguay | 24.2 | 2012 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 73 | Botswana | 23.7 | 2015 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 74 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 23.7 | 2018 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 75 | Colombia | 23.3 | 2018 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 76 | Equatorial Guinea | 23.2 | 2015 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 77 | Guyana | 23.2 | 2012 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 78 | Lao PDR | 22.3 | 2018 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 79 | Liberia | 22.3 | 2017 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 80 | Tajikistan | 22.3 | 2017 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 81 | Panama | 22 | 2017 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 82 | Sri Lanka | 21.7 | 2018 | South Asia |
| 83 | Tonga | 21.6 | 2015 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 84 | Uzbekistan | 21.5 | 2018 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 85 | Russian Federation | 21.3 | 2017 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 86 | Cabo Verde | 21.1 | 2018 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 87 | Korea, Dem. People's Rep. | 20.3 | 2018 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 88 | Viet Nam | 20.3 | 2018 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 89 | Guatemala | 20.3 | 2018 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 90 | Brazil | 20.2 | 2017 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 91 | Belize | 19.8 | 2018 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 92 | Nepal | 19.7 | 2019 | South Asia |
| 93 | Micronesia, Fed. Sts. | 19.7 | 2015 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 94 | Bahamas, The | 19.4 | 2018 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 95 | Romania | 19.3 | 2017 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 96 | Belarus | 19.2 | 2018 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 97 | Czechia | 18.9 | 2013 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 98 | Dominican Republic | 18.9 | 2018 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 99 | Jordan | 18.5 | 2018 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 100 | France | 18.2 | 2013 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 101 | Moldova | 17.9 | 2018 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 102 | Bolivia | 17.8 | 2018 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 103 | Chile | 17.8 | 2017 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 104 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 17.7 | 2018 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 105 | Albania | 17.6 | 2018 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 106 | Peru | 17.4 | 2018 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 107 | Kazakhstan | 17.2 | 2019 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 108 | Indonesia | 17 | 2018 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 109 | Turkiye | 17 | 2017 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 110 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 16.9 | 2018 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 111 | Tunisia | 16.9 | 2018 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 112 | Thailand | 16.6 | 2018 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 113 | China | 16.4 | 2018 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 114 | Grenada | 16.4 | 2018 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 115 | Korea, Rep. | 16.3 | 2017 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 116 | Mauritius | 16.2 | 2018 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 117 | Ireland | 16.1 | 2012 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 118 | Cayman Islands | 15.7 | 2018 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 119 | Japan | 15.7 | 2017 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 120 | Tuvalu | 15.6 | 2018 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 121 | Slovak Republic | 15.5 | 2017 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 122 | Azerbaijan | 15.4 | 2018 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 123 | Armenia | 15.4 | 2018 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 124 | Bulgaria | 15.2 | 2017 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 125 | United Kingdom | 15.1 | 2017 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 126 | New Zealand | 14.9 | 2017 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 127 | North Macedonia | 14.9 | 2017 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 128 | Aruba | 14.8 | 2012 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 129 | St. Lucia | 14.7 | 2018 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 130 | Singapore | 14.7 | 2017 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 131 | Seychelles | 14.5 | 2018 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 132 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 14.4 | 2018 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 133 | Serbia | 14.3 | 2018 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 134 | United States | 14.2 | 2017 | North America |
| 135 | Gibraltar | 14.2 | 2017 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 136 | Barbados | 14 | 2018 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 137 | St. Kitts and Nevis | 13.9 | 2016 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 138 | Saudi Arabia | 13.8 | 2018 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 139 | Slovenia | 13.8 | 2016 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 140 | Finland | 13.7 | 2017 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 141 | Puerto Rico (US) | 13.5 | 2016 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 142 | Lithuania | 13.5 | 2017 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 143 | Croatia | 13.5 | 2016 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 144 | Macao SAR, China | 13.5 | 2018 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 145 | Suriname | 13.4 | 2018 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 146 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 13.3 | 2018 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 147 | Spain | 13.1 | 2017 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 148 | Dominica | 13.1 | 2016 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 149 | Ukraine | 13 | 2018 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 150 | Malta | 12.9 | 2017 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 151 | Lebanon | 12.5 | 2017 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 152 | Antigua and Barbuda | 12.4 | 2018 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 153 | Portugal | 12.4 | 2017 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 154 | Germany | 12.3 | 2017 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 155 | Sweden | 12.2 | 2017 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 156 | Costa Rica | 12.2 | 2018 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 157 | Qatar | 12.2 | 2018 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 158 | Israel | 12.1 | 2016 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 159 | Cyprus | 12 | 2017 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 160 | Bahrain | 11.9 | 2018 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 161 | Netherlands | 11.8 | 2017 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 162 | Monaco | 11.7 | 2019 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 163 | Malaysia | 11.7 | 2017 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 164 | British Virgin Islands | 11.6 | 2017 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 165 | Latvia | 11.5 | 2017 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 166 | Italy | 11.5 | 2017 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 167 | Estonia | 11.3 | 2017 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 168 | Belgium | 11.3 | 2017 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 169 | Sint Maarten (Dutch part) | 11.3 | 2012 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 170 | Uruguay | 11 | 2017 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 171 | Hungary | 10.8 | 2016 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 172 | Denmark | 10.7 | 2014 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 173 | Andorra | 10.5 | 2018 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 174 | Bermuda | 10.4 | 2015 | North America |
| 175 | Poland | 10.2 | 2017 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 176 | Maldives | 10.2 | 2017 | South Asia |
| 177 | Iceland | 10.1 | 2015 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 178 | Austria | 10 | 2017 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 179 | Switzerland | 9.93 | 2017 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 180 | Brunei Darussalam | 9.9 | 2018 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 181 | Oman | 9.67 | 2018 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 182 | Greece | 9.38 | 2017 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 183 | Cuba | 9.16 | 2018 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 184 | Georgia | 8.98 | 2018 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 185 | Kuwait | 8.88 | 2018 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 186 | Norway | 8.59 | 2017 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 187 | Luxembourg | 8.3 | 2016 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 188 | Liechtenstein | 7.8 | 2017 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 189 | San Marino | 6.93 | 2018 | Europe & Central Asia |
More on pupil-teacher ratio
- Countries With the Lowest Pupil-teacher Ratios
- Pupil-teacher ratio 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 Primary Completion
- 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
A ranking describes countries, not the people in them, and a high or low place does not by itself say why. All country rankings.