Russia vs South Africa: Primary education, pupils, gaps filled

Russia
7.55 million
in 2023
South Africa
7.52 million
in 2023
Russia rank
20th
South Africa rank
21st

Primary education, pupils, gaps filled over time

  • Russia
  • South Africa
02.0M4.0M6.0M8.0M197019962023

How they compare

Russia currently reports 7.55 million against 7.52 million in South Africa, a difference of 33,720.

The two have swapped places 2 times across 49 shared years of data; in 1975 it was Russia ahead.

Russia ranks 20th and South Africa ranks 21st of 206 countries.

Across the 6 decades both report, Russia averaged higher in 2 and South Africa in 4.

Head to head by decade

Decade Russia South Africa Difference Ahead
1970s 5.74 million 4.37 million 1.37 million Russia
1980s 6.47 million 4.85 million 1.62 million Russia
1990s 7.55 million 7.76 million 208,099 South Africa
2000s 5.36 million 7.35 million 1.98 million South Africa
2010s 6.02 million 7.31 million 1.29 million South Africa
2020s 7.49 million 7.64 million 147,175 South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher primary education, pupils, gaps filled, Russia or South Africa?
Russia, at 7.55 million against 7.52 million in South Africa as of 2023.
What is the difference in primary education, pupils, gaps filled between Russia and South Africa?
33,720, with Russia ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Russia and South Africa?
49 years are reported by both, from 1975 to 2023.
How do Russia and South Africa rank globally for primary education, pupils, gaps filled?
Russia ranks 20th and South Africa ranks 21st of 206 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Statizoid (derived), published as Primary education, pupils, gaps filled. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Russia vs South Africa: Primary education, pupils, gaps filled. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/primary-education-pupils-gaps-filled/russian-federation/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Primary education, pupils, gaps filled
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
251 places, 11,866 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

Primary education, pupils with 569 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.