Countries in Asia Ranked by Pupil-teacher ratio (primary) (2018)
Pupil-teacher ratio (primary): each country's latest value (2013–2018), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Afghanistan ranks #1 with 48.8 pupils per teacher. Pakistan is second with 44.1 pupils per teacher, 10.7% behind. The top five are Afghanistan, Pakistan, Cambodia, Bhutan and India. The median across all 46 is 17.9 pupils per teacher; Kuwait is last at 8.88 pupils per teacher. Afghanistan's figure has fallen 16% since 1994 (57.9 pupils per teacher to 48.8 pupils per teacher in 2018).
- #1
- Afghanistan · 48.8 pupils per teacher
- Median
- 17.9 pupils per teacher
- Coverage
- 46 countries in Asia
- Data year
- 2018
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Pupil-teacher ratio (primary) (pupils per teacher) | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Afghanistan | 48.8 | 2018 |
| 2 | Pakistan | 44.1 | 2018 |
| 3 | Cambodia | 41.7 | 2018 |
| 4 | Bhutan | 34.7 | 2018 |
| 5 | India | 32.8 | 2017 |
| 6 | Mongolia | 30.4 | 2018 |
| 7 | Bangladesh | 30.1 | 2018 |
| 8 | Philippines | 29.1 | 2017 |
| 9 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 28.5 | 2017 |
| 10 | Timor-Leste | 26.9 | 2018 |
| 11 | Yemen, Rep. | 26.9 | 2016 |
| 12 | Kyrgyz Republic | 25 | 2018 |
| 13 | United Arab Emirates | 24.5 | 2016 |
| 14 | West Bank and Gaza | 24.5 | 2018 |
| 15 | Myanmar | 24.4 | 2018 |
| 16 | Lao PDR | 22.3 | 2018 |
| 17 | Tajikistan | 22.3 | 2017 |
| 18 | Sri Lanka | 21.7 | 2018 |
| 19 | Uzbekistan | 21.5 | 2018 |
| 20 | Korea, Dem. People's Rep. | 20.3 | 2018 |
| 21 | Viet Nam | 20.3 | 2018 |
| 22 | Nepal | 19.7 | 2019 |
| 23 | Jordan | 18.5 | 2018 |
| 24 | Kazakhstan | 17.2 | 2019 |
| 25 | Indonesia | 17 | 2018 |
| 26 | Türkiye | 17 | 2017 |
| 27 | Thailand | 16.6 | 2018 |
| 28 | China | 16.4 | 2018 |
| 29 | Korea, Rep. | 16.3 | 2017 |
| 30 | Japan | 15.7 | 2017 |
| 31 | Azerbaijan | 15.4 | 2018 |
| 32 | Armenia | 15.4 | 2018 |
| 33 | Singapore | 14.7 | 2017 |
| 34 | Saudi Arabia | 13.8 | 2018 |
| 35 | Macao SAR, China | 13.5 | 2018 |
| 36 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 13.3 | 2018 |
| 37 | Lebanon | 12.5 | 2017 |
| 38 | Qatar | 12.2 | 2018 |
| 39 | Israel | 12.1 | 2016 |
| 40 | Bahrain | 11.9 | 2018 |
| 41 | Malaysia | 11.7 | 2017 |
| 42 | Maldives | 10.2 | 2017 |
| 43 | Brunei Darussalam | 9.9 | 2018 |
| 44 | Oman | 9.67 | 2018 |
| 45 | Georgia | 8.98 | 2018 |
| 46 | Kuwait | 8.88 | 2018 |
About the top 10
#1 Afghanistan
Afghanistan ranks #1 on this list with 48.8 pupils per teacher.
- Capital
- Kabul
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 43.84 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$17.78 billion (2024)
- GDP per person
- US$416.9 (2024)
- Life expectancy
- 66.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 25.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kabul.
Also ranks #1 in refugee population by origin · #4 in health expenditure share of gdp · #6 in agriculture value added share of gdp.
#2 Pakistan
Pakistan ranks #2 on this list with 44.1 pupils per teacher.
- Capital
- Islamabad
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 255.22 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$407.31 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,596 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 39.5% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad.
Also ranks #1 in diabetes prevalence · #2 in children out of school (primary) · #3 in rural population.
#3 Cambodia
Cambodia ranks #3 on this list with 41.7 pupils per teacher.
- Capital
- Phnom Penh
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 17.85 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$51.27 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$2,872 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 70.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 41.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Phnom Penh.
Also ranks #3 in time to start a business (days) · #5 in manufacturing value added share of gdp · #6 in labour force participation rate.
#4 Bhutan
Bhutan ranks #4 on this list with 34.7 pupils per teacher.
- Capital
- Thimphu
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 796,680 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$3.58 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,493 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 73.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 43.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in gross capital formation rate · #4 in water resources per capita · #4 in protected terrestrial area share.
#5 India
India ranks #5 on this list with 32.8 pupils per teacher (2017).
- Capital
- New Delhi
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 1.46 billion people (2025)
- GDP
- US$3.96 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$2,703 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 72.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 35.7% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru.
Also ranks #1 in population · #1 in rural population · #1 in remittances received.
#6 Mongolia
Mongolia ranks #6 on this list with 30.4 pupils per teacher.
- Capital
- Ulaanbaatar
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 3.57 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$25.37 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,108 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 72.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 71.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Ulaanbaatar.
Also ranks #3 in mineral rents share of gdp · #4 in bank branches per 100,000 adults · #5 in hospital beds per 10,000.
#7 Bangladesh
Bangladesh ranks #7 on this list with 30.1 pupils per teacher.
- Capital
- Dhaka
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 175.69 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$456.32 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$2,597 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 74.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 33.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Dhaka, Chittagong, Gazipur.
Also ranks #1 in arable land share · #2 in irrigated land share · #2 in low-birthweight babies share.
#8 Philippines
Philippines ranks #8 on this list with 29.1 pupils per teacher (2017).
- Capital
- Manila
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 116.79 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$487.09 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,171 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 69.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 55.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Metro Manila, Quezon City, Manila.
Also ranks #4 in remittances received · #4 in low-birthweight babies share · #7 in annual freshwater withdrawals.
#9 Iran, Islamic Rep.
Iran, Islamic Rep. ranks #9 on this list with 28.5 pupils per teacher (2017).
- Capital
- Tehran
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 92.42 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$362.68 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,924 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 77.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Tehran, Isfahan, Ahvaz.
Also ranks #1 in refugee population by asylum · #2 in official exchange rate · #4 in gross capital formation rate.
#10 Timor-Leste
Timor-Leste ranks #10 on this list with 26.9 pupils per teacher.
- Capital
- Dili
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 1.42 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.9 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,341 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 28.8% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in smoking prevalence · #3 in government revenue share of gdp · #4 in prevalence of stunting (under-5).
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Pupil-teacher ratio (primary): each country's latest value (2013–2018), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SE.PRM.ENRL.TC.ZS. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Pupil-teacher ratio, primary: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.