Primary education, teachers by country
Primary education, teachers refers to the total number of teachers at primary level, including full-time and part-time teachers.
Countries reporting
204
Highest
6.74 million
China
Lowest
66
Nauru
Median
35,248
Years covered
56
1970–2025
Data points
9,469
What the numbers show
Primary education, teachers is currently reported for 204 countries. The highest value is 6.74 million in China; the lowest is 66 in Nauru.
The median across all reporting countries is 35,248, and the mean is 162,704.
Over the past decade 138 countries rose and 62 fell. The largest increase was in Micronesia (country) (up 2,318.8%), and the largest decrease in Poland (down 38.4%).
Primary education, teachers: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 6.74 million | 2024 | up 15.0% | rising |
| 2 | India | 5.19 million | 2025 | up 18.0% | rising |
| 3 | United States | 1.78 million | 2023 | up 5.5% | rising |
| 4 | Indonesia | 1.51 million | 2025 | down 16.2% | rising |
| 5 | Nigeria | 913,305 | 2021 | up 59.1% | rising |
| 6 | Brazil | 696,748 | 2024 | down 12.4% | rising |
| 7 | Mexico | 571,832 | 2023 | down 0.6% | rising |
| 8 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 561,172 | 2023 | up 65.1% | volatile |
| 9 | Philippines | 527,504 | 2024 | up 12.9% | rising |
| 10 | Egypt | 483,053 | 2024 | down 5.2% | rising |
| 11 | Pakistan | 445,877 | 2024 | up 6.8% | rising |
| 12 | Japan | 440,864 | 2023 | up 8.5% | flat |
| 13 | Bangladesh | 383,624 | 2024 | down 27.3% | rising |
| 14 | Vietnam | 380,535 | 2024 | down 1.7% | rising |
| 15 | Iran | 372,396 | 2023 | up 21.6% | rising |
| 16 | Venezuela | 352,723 | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 17 | Ethiopia | 338,716 | 2024 | up 38.4% | volatile |
| 18 | Russia | 327,102 | 2023 | up 14.8% | flat |
| 19 | Thailand | 305,368 | 2025 | up 1.5% | rising |
| 20 | Turkey | 299,967 | 2023 | up 6.4% | rising |
| 21 | Argentina | 288,776 | 2008 | up 23.3% | rising |
| 22 | South Africa | 287,310 | 2023 | up 30.3% | rising |
| 23 | Iraq | 286,890 | 2007 | up 97.2% | rising |
| 24 | Germany | 283,851 | 2024 | up 22.0% | rising |
| 25 | Kenya | 281,500 | 2023 | up 59.7% | rising |
| 26 | United Kingdom | 281,128 | 2023 | up 12.1% | rising |
| 27 | Malaysia | 273,792 | 2024 | down 1.7% | rising |
| 28 | Italy | 250,961 | 2024 | up 5.8% | flat |
| 29 | Spain | 248,253 | 2024 | up 9.8% | rising |
| 30 | Algeria | 247,748 | 2025 | up 53.1% | rising |
| 31 | Saudi Arabia | 244,652 | 2024 | down 29.6% | rising |
| 32 | Tanzania | 229,840 | 2024 | up 20.4% | rising |
| 33 | France | 229,471 | 2013 | up 12.8% | rising |
| 34 | Myanmar | 217,561 | 2018 | up 22.7% | rising |
| 35 | Uganda | 207,238 | 2017 | up 36.3% | volatile |
| 36 | Peru | 199,824 | 2024 | up 1.0% | rising |
| 37 | Morocco | 189,855 | 2024 | up 20.9% | rising |
| 38 | Colombia | 180,781 | 2022 | down 4.5% | rising |
| 39 | South Korea | 173,133 | 2024 | up 4.4% | rising |
| 40 | Afghanistan | 163,167 | 2023 | up 24.6% | volatile |
| 41 | Nepal | 157,456 | 2025 | down 15.1% | volatile |
| 42 | Yemen | 144,824 | 2016 | up 30.2% | rising |
| 43 | Syria | 144,621 | 2024 | — | rising |
| 44 | Canada | 141,045 | 2000 | down 5.7% | flat |
| 45 | Madagascar | 138,648 | 2024 | up 25.4% | volatile |
| 46 | Poland | 135,357 | 2025 | down 38.4% | falling |
| 47 | Mozambique | 133,644 | 2022 | up 36.8% | volatile |
| 48 | Uzbekistan | 130,601 | 2025 | up 16.4% | rising |
| 49 | Ghana | 122,558 | 2024 | down 10.5% | rising |
| 50 | Guatemala | 122,362 | 2024 | up 16.3% | volatile |
| 51 | Cameroon | 121,453 | 2024 | up 29.6% | volatile |
| 52 | Zambia | 116,859 | 2024 | up 49.1% | volatile |
| 53 | Kazakhstan | 113,317 | 2025 | up 53.5% | rising |
| 54 | Ukraine | 105,694 | 2024 | up 6.4% | flat |
| 55 | Australia | 105,469 | 1999 | up 13.6% | rising |
| 56 | Cote d'Ivoire | 104,418 | 2024 | up 39.8% | volatile |
| 57 | Netherlands | 98,851 | 2024 | down 5.7% | rising |
| 58 | Angola | 96,016 | 2023 | down 18.7% | volatile |
| 59 | Chile | 94,708 | 2024 | up 20.2% | rising |
| 60 | Israel | 92,770 | 2024 | up 30.4% | rising |
| 61 | Burkina Faso | 91,764 | 2024 | up 57.4% | volatile |
| 62 | Zimbabwe | 90,330 | 2024 | up 21.9% | rising |
| 63 | Malawi | 87,834 | 2024 | up 31.6% | rising |
| 64 | Tunisia | 84,596 | 2023 | up 38.7% | rising |
| 65 | Cuba | 82,575 | 2024 | down 1.9% | rising |
| 66 | Belgium | 80,763 | 2023 | up 17.8% | rising |
| 67 | Dominican Republic | 80,321 | 2024 | up 30.3% | rising |
| 68 | Ecuador | 77,432 | 2024 | down 8.6% | rising |
| 69 | Bolivia | 76,710 | 2024 | down 4.3% | rising |
| 70 | Sri Lanka | 73,333 | 2023 | down 1.5% | rising |
| 71 | Senegal | 72,089 | 2024 | up 20.6% | volatile |
| 72 | Sweden | 71,551 | 2024 | up 12.7% | rising |
| 73 | Greece | 70,680 | 2023 | up 5.9% | rising |
| 74 | Niger | 69,636 | 2024 | up 9.3% | volatile |
| 75 | Rwanda | 68,326 | 2024 | up 65.9% | volatile |
| 76 | Jordan | 64,348 | 2024 | up 11.0% | volatile |
| 77 | Mali | 59,920 | 2023 | up 19.6% | volatile |
| 78 | Benin | 59,742 | 2022 | up 32.7% | volatile |
| 79 | Switzerland | 58,349 | 2024 | up 21.8% | rising |
| 80 | Chad | 54,801 | 2024 | up 26.0% | volatile |
| 81 | Portugal | 52,131 | 2023 | down 3.9% | falling |
| 82 | Norway | 51,889 | 2024 | up 7.8% | rising |
| 83 | Honduras | 49,996 | 2024 | up 26.3% | rising |
| 84 | Romania | 47,769 | 2023 | down 5.6% | falling |
| 85 | Sierra Leone | 46,575 | 2024 | up 24.8% | volatile |
| 86 | Cambodia | 46,016 | 2024 | up 2.5% | rising |
| 87 | Haiti | 44,472 | 1998 | up 110.7% | volatile |
| 88 | Guinea | 43,914 | 2020 | up 27.5% | volatile |
| 89 | Burundi | 43,226 | 2025 | down 9.9% | volatile |
| 90 | Costa Rica | 43,058 | 2024 | up 19.7% | volatile |
| 91 | Libya | 42,696 | 1983 | up 140.3% | rising |
| 92 | Ireland | 42,162 | 2023 | up 30.7% | rising |
| 93 | Denmark | 42,105 | 2024 | down 3.3% | rising |
| 94 | Papua New Guinea | 40,888 | 2023 | up 13.9% | volatile |
| 95 | United Arab Emirates | 39,735 | 2024 | up 12.7% | volatile |
| 96 | Azerbaijan | 38,731 | 2024 | down 5.6% | rising |
| 97 | Tajikistan | 37,890 | 2024 | up 27.9% | rising |
| 98 | Hungary | 37,255 | 2024 | up 6.6% | falling |
| 99 | Liberia | 37,210 | 2022 | up 48.0% | rising |
| 100 | Togo | 36,787 | 2024 | up 7.1% | volatile |
| 101 | Lebanon | 36,699 | 2024 | down 5.9% | rising |
| 102 | Austria | 35,752 | 2024 | up 17.1% | rising |
| 103 | Oman | 34,743 | 2024 | down 8.4% | volatile |
| 104 | Paraguay | 34,694 | 2012 | down 2.8% | rising |
| 105 | Kuwait | 32,782 | 2021 | up 26.2% | volatile |
| 106 | Georgia | 32,424 | 2024 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 107 | Finland | 30,824 | 2024 | up 16.8% | rising |
| 108 | Nicaragua | 29,707 | 2023 | down 2.8% | rising |
| 109 | Hong Kong | 28,284 | 2024 | up 20.8% | rising |
| 110 | Kyrgyzstan | 26,847 | 2025 | up 55.9% | rising |
| 111 | New Zealand | 26,597 | 2024 | up 6.1% | rising |
| 112 | Czechia | 25,979 | 2013 | down 23.0% | rising |
| 113 | Palestine | 25,038 | 2023 | up 37.3% | rising |
| 114 | Turkmenistan | 24,978 | 2024 | up 15.1% | rising |
| 115 | Mauritania | 24,560 | 2024 | up 42.6% | volatile |
| 116 | Congo | 23,019 | 2023 | up 39.3% | volatile |
| 117 | Bulgaria | 22,710 | 2024 | up 55.6% | falling |
| 118 | Belarus | 22,228 | 2024 | down 0.7% | falling |
| 119 | El Salvador | 22,132 | 2024 | down 11.4% | falling |
| 120 | Laos | 21,845 | 2025 | down 38.0% | rising |
| 121 | Namibia | 21,240 | 2024 | up 32.1% | rising |
| 122 | Panama | 19,072 | 2017 | up 4.9% | rising |
| 123 | Uruguay | 18,882 | 2023 | down 30.9% | rising |
| 124 | Slovakia | 18,530 | 2024 | up 32.1% | flat |
| 125 | Singapore | 16,639 | 2023 | up 5.8% | rising |
| 126 | Botswana | 16,622 | 2022 | up 15.2% | rising |
| 127 | Serbia | 16,557 | 2024 | down 8.7% | flat |
| 128 | Puerto Rico | 15,316 | 2024 | down 20.5% | flat |
| 129 | Qatar | 14,931 | 2024 | up 42.5% | volatile |
| 130 | Gambia | 13,495 | 2025 | up 70.8% | volatile |
| 131 | Croatia | 13,441 | 2023 | up 15.0% | rising |
| 132 | Somalia | 12,870 | 2007 | — | volatile |
| 133 | Eritrea | 12,025 | 2022 | up 47.3% | rising |
| 134 | Mongolia | 11,972 | 2024 | up 36.1% | rising |
| 135 | Jamaica | 11,768 | 2024 | down 2.4% | rising |
| 136 | Gabon | 10,935 | 2019 | down 15.6% | volatile |
| 137 | Lesotho | 10,388 | 2024 | down 7.0% | rising |
| 138 | Latvia | 9,966 | 2024 | down 3.6% | rising |
| 139 | Central African Republic | 9,756 | 2016 | up 109.7% | rising |
| 140 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 9,722 | 2023 | up 2.3% | flat |
| 141 | Bahrain | 9,404 | 2024 | up 5.7% | volatile |
| 142 | Albania | 9,336 | 2024 | down 9.7% | falling |
| 143 | Lithuania | 8,888 | 2024 | up 5.3% | falling |
| 144 | Eswatini | 8,880 | 2023 | up 4.4% | rising |
| 145 | Slovenia | 8,663 | 2016 | up 41.1% | flat |
| 146 | Estonia | 8,627 | 2024 | up 31.2% | rising |
| 147 | North Macedonia | 7,723 | 2023 | up 9.4% | rising |
| 148 | Trinidad and Tobago | 7,693 | 2024 | up 3.3% | rising |
| 149 | Armenia | 7,540 | 2024 | down 24.2% | falling |
| 150 | Moldova | 7,408 | 2024 | down 10.0% | falling |
| 151 | East Timor | 7,144 | 2023 | down 7.4% | rising |
| 152 | Guyana | 6,330 | 2024 | up 55.2% | rising |
| 153 | Fiji | 6,295 | 2024 | up 71.5% | rising |
| 154 | Mauritius | 6,144 | 2024 | up 9.1% | falling |
| 155 | Luxembourg | 5,878 | 2024 | up 35.5% | rising |
| 156 | Cyprus | 5,389 | 2023 | up 35.5% | rising |
| 157 | Guinea-Bissau | 5,371 | 2010 | up 57.7% | rising |
| 158 | Solomon Islands | 5,327 | 2024 | up 6.1% | volatile |
| 159 | Suriname | 5,068 | 2021 | up 3.7% | rising |
| 160 | Maldives | 4,691 | 2024 | up 42.5% | rising |
| 161 | Equatorial Guinea | 4,021 | 2015 | up 74.3% | volatile |
| 162 | Comoros | 3,952 | 2024 | down 4.9% | volatile |
| 163 | Brunei | 3,846 | 2024 | down 3.9% | rising |
| 164 | Iceland | 3,568 | 2023 | up 18.9% | rising |
| 165 | Bhutan | 3,372 | 2024 | down 7.3% | rising |
| 166 | Cape Verde | 3,031 | 2022 | up 2.5% | rising |
| 167 | Macao | 2,896 | 2024 | up 73.5% | rising |
| 168 | Djibouti | 2,739 | 2023 | up 47.9% | volatile |
| 169 | Belize | 2,497 | 2024 | up 7.6% | rising |
| 170 | French Polynesia | 2,052 | 1996 | up 53.5% | rising |
| 171 | Malta | 1,941 | 2024 | up 7.9% | rising |
| 172 | Vanuatu | 1,892 | 2024 | down 2.3% | rising |
| 173 | Barbados | 1,592 | 2024 | down 4.4% | rising |
| 174 | Samoa | 1,558 | 2023 | up 52.6% | flat |
| 175 | Bahamas | 1,497 | 2024 | down 14.1% | rising |
| 176 | Sao Tome and Principe | 1,193 | 2017 | up 20.5% | rising |
| 177 | New Caledonia | 1,096 | 1991 | down 14.9% | flat |
| 178 | Antigua and Barbuda | 1,087 | 2023 | up 44.0% | rising |
| 179 | Saint Lucia | 1,067 | 2024 | down 12.3% | rising |
| 180 | United States Virgin Islands | 1,025 | 1993 | down 8.5% | rising |
| 181 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 1,018 | 2024 | up 18.9% | falling |
| 182 | Tonga | 818 | 2024 | up 4.6% | rising |
| 183 | Guam | 775 | 1989 | down 12.9% | rising |
| 184 | Micronesia (country) | 774 | 2023 | up 2,318.8% | volatile |
| 185 | Kiribati | 734 | 2024 | up 19.5% | rising |
| 186 | Seychelles | 671 | 2024 | up 1.4% | rising |
| 187 | Aruba | 628 | 2016 | up 9.8% | rising |
| 188 | Grenada | 620 | 2024 | down 31.3% | rising |
| 189 | Dominica | 552 | 2023 | up 4.3% | rising |
| 190 | American Samoa | 524 | 1992 | up 32.7% | rising |
| 191 | Marshall Islands | 439 | 2024 | down 31.7% | falling |
| 192 | Bermuda | 420 | 2016 | down 25.9% | rising |
| 193 | Andorra | 413 | 2024 | down 3.3% | rising |
| 194 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 408 | 2023 | up 6.0% | rising |
| 195 | Cayman Islands | 323 | 2024 | up 6.6% | rising |
| 196 | Liechtenstein | 283 | 2021 | up 10.1% | falling |
| 197 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 272 | 2024 | down 4.6% | rising |
| 198 | British Virgin Islands | 247 | 2024 | down 11.5% | rising |
| 199 | San Marino | 245 | 2024 | down 2.4% | rising |
| 200 | Palau | 205 | 2024 | — | rising |
| 201 | Gibraltar | 197 | 2023 | down 3.4% | rising |
| 202 | Monaco | 195 | 2024 | up 25.8% | rising |
| 203 | Tuvalu | 107 | 2025 | down 8.5% | rising |
| 204 | Nauru | 66 | 2025 | up 65.0% | falling |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- World 34.10 million
- IDA & IBRD total 28.51 million
- Low & middle income 27.98 million
- Middle income 25.11 million
- IBRD only 21.35 million
- Early-demographic dividend 13.97 million
- Upper middle income 13.41 million
- Lower middle income 11.30 million
- East Asia & Pacific 10.94 million
- Late-demographic dividend 10.38 million
- East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) 10.13 million
- East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) 10.06 million
About this data
Primary education, teachers refers to the total number of teachers at primary level, including full-time and part-time teachers.