Which has higher primary education, pupils, Afghanistan or Turkey?

Afghanistan, at 7.51 million against 5.54 million in Turkey as of 2023.

What is the difference in primary education, pupils between Afghanistan and Turkey?

1.97 million, with Afghanistan ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for Afghanistan and Turkey?

42 years are reported by both, from 1971 to 2023.

Where does this data come from?

Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Primary education, pupils. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Afghanistan vs Turkey: Primary education, pupils

Afghanistan

7.51 million

in 2023

Turkey

5.54 million

in 2023

Afghanistan rank

22nd

Turkey rank

24th

Primary education, pupils over time

Afghanistan
Turkey

How they compare

Afghanistan currently reports 7.51 million against 5.54 million in Turkey, a difference of 1.97 million.

That makes Afghanistan's figure about 1.4 times Turkey's.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 42 shared years of data; in 1971 it was Turkey ahead.

Afghanistan ranks 22nd and Turkey ranks 24th of 206 countries.

Across the 6 decades both report, Afghanistan averaged higher in 2 and Turkey in 4.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Afghanistan	Turkey	Difference	Ahead
1970s	680,733	5.31 million	4.63 million	Turkey
1980s	586,181	6.40 million	5.82 million	Turkey
1990s	897,696	6.67 million	5.77 million	Turkey
2000s	3.60 million	6.67 million	3.07 million	Turkey
2010s	6.07 million	5.70 million	372,615	Afghanistan
2020s	7.51 million	5.54 million	1.97 million	Afghanistan

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher primary education, pupils, Afghanistan or Turkey?: Afghanistan, at 7.51 million against 5.54 million in Turkey as of 2023.
What is the difference in primary education, pupils between Afghanistan and Turkey?: 1.97 million, with Afghanistan ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Afghanistan and Turkey?: 42 years are reported by both, from 1971 to 2023.
How do Afghanistan and Turkey rank globally for primary education, pupils?: Afghanistan ranks 22nd and Turkey ranks 24th of 206 countries.
Where does this data come from?: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Primary education, pupils. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Afghanistan vs Turkey: Primary education, pupils. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 13 November 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/primary-education-pupils/afghanistan/turkiye/

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About this data

Indicator: Primary education, pupils
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 251 places, 11,297 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed: 13 November 2026

Primary education pupils is the total number of pupils enrolled at primary level in public and private schools.