South Africa vs Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes

South Africa
2.93 million number
in 2020
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
68.99 million number
in 2019
South Africa rank
18th
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank
16th

School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes over time

  • South Africa
  • Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
020.0M40.0M60.0M197019952020

How they compare

Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) currently reports 68.99 million number against 2.93 million number in South Africa, a difference of 66.06 million number.

That makes Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)'s figure about 23.6 times South Africa's.

Across all 50 years both countries report, Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) has been ahead every year.

South Africa ranks 18th and Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 16th of 205 countries.

Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade South Africa Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) Difference Ahead
1970s 1.04 million number 20.66 million number 19.62 million number Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
1980s 1.34 million number 27.90 million number 26.56 million number Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
1990s 2.01 million number 39.11 million number 37.10 million number Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
2000s 3.14 million number 47.82 million number 44.68 million number Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
2010s 2.94 million number 61.14 million number 58.20 million number Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes, South Africa or Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), at 68.99 million number against 2.93 million number in South Africa as of 2019.
What is the difference in school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes between South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
66.06 million number, with Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
50 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2019.
How do South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank globally for school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes?
South Africa ranks 18th and Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 16th of 205 countries.
Where does this data come from?
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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South Africa vs Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/school-age-population-upper-secondary-education-both-sexes-number/south-africa/sub-saharan-africa-ida-and-ibrd-countries/

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About this data

Indicator
School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
250 places, 12,264 data points, 1970–2020
Last refreshed

Population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to upper secondary education as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.