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

South Africa
7.52 million
in 2023
South Asia
160.82 million
in 2024
South Africa rank
21st
South Asia rank
20th

Primary education, pupils, gaps filled over time

  • South Africa
  • South Asia
050.0M100.0M150.0M197019972024

How they compare

South Asia currently reports 160.82 million against 7.52 million in South Africa, a difference of 153.30 million.

That makes South Asia's figure about 21.4 times South Africa's.

Across all 50 years both countries report, South Asia has been ahead every year.

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

South Asia has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade South Africa South Asia Difference Ahead
1970s 4.31 million 85.11 million 80.80 million South Asia
1980s 4.85 million 96.01 million 91.16 million South Asia
1990s 7.76 million 125.16 million 117.39 million South Asia
2000s 7.35 million 149.75 million 142.40 million South Asia
2010s 7.31 million 160.58 million 153.27 million South Asia
2020s 7.64 million 149.42 million 141.78 million South Asia

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher primary education, pupils, gaps filled, South Africa or South Asia?
South Asia, at 160.82 million against 7.52 million in South Africa as of 2024.
What is the difference in primary education, pupils, gaps filled between South Africa and South Asia?
153.30 million, with South Asia ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and South Asia?
50 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2023.
How do South Africa and South Asia rank globally for primary education, pupils, gaps filled?
South Africa ranks 21st and South Asia ranks 20th 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.

Individual pages

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

South Africa vs South Asia: Primary education, pupils, gaps filled. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/primary-education-pupils-gaps-filled/south-africa/south-asia/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page; please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://education.statizoid.com/compare/primary-education-pupils-gaps-filled/south-africa/south-asia/">South Africa vs South Asia: Primary education, pupils, gaps filled</a> — Statizoid

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.