Japan vs South Africa: Enrolment in primary education, both sexes
Japan
6.25 million
in 2023
South Africa
7.52 million
in 2023
Japan rank
23rd
South Africa rank
21st
Enrolment in primary education, both sexes over time
- Japan
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 7.52 million against 6.25 million in Japan, a difference of 1.27 million.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.2 times Japan's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 28 shared years of data; in 1975 it was Japan ahead.
Japan ranks 23rd and South Africa ranks 21st of 218 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Japan averaged higher in 3 and South Africa in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Japan | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 10.67 million | 4.34 million | 6.32 million | Japan |
| 1980s | 10.94 million | 5.06 million | 5.87 million | Japan |
| 1990s | 8.58 million | 7.76 million | 821,817 | Japan |
| 2010s | 6.61 million | 7.44 million | 835,207 | South Africa |
| 2020s | 6.34 million | 7.64 million | 1.30 million | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher enrolment in primary education, both sexes, Japan or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 7.52 million against 6.25 million in Japan as of 2023.
- What is the difference in enrolment in primary education, both sexes between Japan and South Africa?
- 1.27 million, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Japan and South Africa?
- 28 years are reported by both, from 1975 to 2023.
- How do Japan and South Africa rank globally for enrolment in primary education, both sexes?
- Japan ranks 23rd and South Africa ranks 21st of 218 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release