South Africa vs Sub-Saharan Africa: Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled

South Africa
5.50 million
in 2023
Sub-Saharan Africa
81.43 million
in 2024
South Africa rank
23rd
Sub-Saharan Africa rank
21st

Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled over time

  • South Africa
  • Sub-Saharan Africa
020.0M40.0M60.0M80.0M197019972024

How they compare

Sub-Saharan Africa currently reports 81.43 million against 5.50 million in South Africa, a difference of 75.93 million.

That makes Sub-Saharan Africa's figure about 14.8 times South Africa's.

Across all 35 years both countries report, Sub-Saharan Africa has been ahead every year.

South Africa ranks 23rd and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 21st of 206 countries.

Sub-Saharan Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade South Africa Sub-Saharan Africa Difference Ahead
1980s 2.55 million 15.56 million 13.01 million Sub-Saharan Africa
1990s 3.60 million 19.25 million 15.65 million Sub-Saharan Africa
2000s 4.54 million 32.93 million 28.39 million Sub-Saharan Africa
2010s 4.97 million 57.91 million 52.94 million Sub-Saharan Africa
2020s 5.33 million 76.15 million 70.82 million Sub-Saharan Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher secondary education, pupils, gaps filled, South Africa or Sub-Saharan Africa?
Sub-Saharan Africa, at 81.43 million against 5.50 million in South Africa as of 2024.
What is the difference in secondary education, pupils, gaps filled between South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa?
75.93 million, with Sub-Saharan Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa?
35 years are reported by both, from 1989 to 2023.
How do South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa rank globally for secondary education, pupils, gaps filled?
South Africa ranks 23rd and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 21st of 206 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Statizoid (derived), published as Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled. 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: Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 04 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/secondary-education-pupils-gaps-filled/south-africa/sub-saharan-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
251 places, 10,723 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

Secondary education, pupils with 698 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.