Afghanistan vs South Africa: School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes

Afghanistan
1.04 million number
in 2020
South Africa
1.08 million number
in 2020
Afghanistan rank
23rd
South Africa rank
21st

School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes over time

  • Afghanistan
  • South Africa
200.0k400.0k600.0k800.0k1.0M197019952020

How they compare

South Africa currently reports 1.08 million number against 1.04 million number in Afghanistan, a difference of 35,160 number.

Across all 51 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.

Afghanistan ranks 23rd and South Africa ranks 21st of 204 countries.

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

Head to head by decade

Decade Afghanistan South Africa Difference Ahead
1970s 300,978 number 587,228 number 286,249 number South Africa
1980s 309,850 number 754,886 number 445,036 number South Africa
1990s 437,830 number 974,699 number 536,869 number South Africa
2000s 647,431 number 1.03 million number 382,947 number South Africa
2010s 925,406 number 977,188 number 51,782 number South Africa
2020s 1.04 million number 1.08 million number 35,160 number South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes, Afghanistan or South Africa?
South Africa, at 1.08 million number against 1.04 million number in Afghanistan as of 2020.
What is the difference in school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes between Afghanistan and South Africa?
35,160 number, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Afghanistan and South Africa?
51 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2020.
How do Afghanistan and South Africa rank globally for school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes?
Afghanistan ranks 23rd and South Africa ranks 21st of 204 countries.
Where does this data come from?
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Afghanistan vs South Africa: School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/school-age-population-last-grade-of-primary-education-both-sexes-number/afghanistan/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
249 places, 12,245 data points, 1970–2020
Last refreshed

Population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to the last grade of primary school as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.