Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes in China

China: Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes was 46.56 million number in 2019. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2019)
46.56 million number
Change on year
up 1.2%
World rank
1st
of 199 countries
All-time high
46.56 million number
in 2019
All-time low
2.45 million number
in 1974
Years of data
44
1974–2019

Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes in China, 1974–2019

010.0M20.0M30.0M40.0M50.0M1974199620191974: 2.5M number1975: 2.6M number1976: 6.2M number1977: 14.0M number1978: 9.0M number1979: 7.9M number1980: 8.8M number1981: 11.5M number1982: 10.6M number1983: 11.1M number1984: 11.4M number1985: 12.9M number1986: 14.8M number1987: 16.3M number1988: 18.1M number1989: 18.5M number1990: 18.5M number1991: 19.7M number1992: 22.1M number1993: 24.3M number1994: 25.5M number1995: 26.3M number1996: 27.1M number1997: 26.7M number1998: 25.2M number1999: 24.0M number2000: 23.3M number2001: 22.4M number2002: 20.2M number2003: 20.4M number2006: 21.8M number2007: 22.6M number2008: 23.5M number2009: 24.7M number2010: 26.6M number2011: 29.8M number2012: 34.2M number2013: 36.9M number2014: 38.9M number2015: 40.5M number2016: 42.6M number2017: 44.1M number2018: 46.0M number2019: 46.6M number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

In 2019, enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes in China stood at 46.56 million number. That is the highest value across all 44 years on record.

That represents a change of up 1.2% on the previous year and up 88.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes in China peaked at 46.56 million number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 2.45 million number, in 1974.

That places China 1st out of 199 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes in China, year by year

Annual values for Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number) in China, 1974 to 2019.
Year number Change
1974 2.45 million number
1975 2.64 million number +7.7%
1976 6.20 million number +135.0%
1977 13.96 million number +125.1%
1978 8.97 million number -35.7%
1979 7.88 million number -12.2%
1980 8.79 million number +11.6%
1981 11.51 million number +30.9%
1982 10.56 million number -8.2%
1983 11.13 million number +5.4%
1984 11.40 million number +2.4%
1985 12.95 million number +13.5%
1986 14.80 million number +14.3%
1987 16.29 million number +10.1%
1988 18.08 million number +11.0%
1989 18.55 million number +2.6%
1990 18.48 million number -0.4%
1991 19.72 million number +6.7%
1992 22.09 million number +12.0%
1993 24.28 million number +9.9%
1994 25.53 million number +5.1%
1995 26.30 million number +3.0%
1996 27.11 million number +3.1%
1997 26.66 million number -1.7%
1998 25.19 million number -5.5%
1999 24.03 million number -4.6%
2000 23.26 million number -3.2%
2001 22.44 million number -3.5%
2002 20.22 million number -9.9%
2003 20.36 million number +0.7%
2006 21.79 million number +7.0%
2007 22.64 million number +3.9%
2008 23.49 million number +3.8%
2009 24.75 million number +5.4%
2010 26.58 million number +7.4%
2011 29.77 million number +12.0%
2012 34.24 million number +15.0%
2013 36.86 million number +7.6%
2014 38.95 million number +5.7%
2015 40.51 million number +4.0%
2016 42.65 million number +5.3%
2017 44.14 million number +3.5%
2018 46.00 million number +4.2%
2019 46.56 million number +1.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 7.01 million number 2.45 million number 13.96 million number 6
1980s 13.41 million number 8.79 million number 18.55 million number 10
1990s 23.94 million number 18.48 million number 27.11 million number 10
2000s 22.37 million number 20.22 million number 24.75 million number 8
2010s 38.63 million number 26.58 million number 46.56 million number 10

Countries ranked near China

  1. 2 India 43.90 million number compare
  2. 3 United States 8.67 million number compare
  3. 4 Pakistan 8.54 million number compare

See the full ranking of 244 places →

More education data for China

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes in China?
Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes in China was 46.56 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in China?
The highest recorded value was 46.56 million number in 2019.
What is the lowest enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 2.45 million number in 1974.
How does China rank for enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes?
China ranks 1st out of 199 countries with data for 2019.
Is enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes rising or falling in China?
Over the last ten years it is up 88.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this China data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes in China. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/enrolment-in-pre-primary-education-both-sexes-number/china/

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About this data

Indicator
Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
244 places, 8,121 data points, 1970–2020
Last refreshed

Total number of students enrolled in public and private pre-primary education institutions (ISCED 0.2) regardless of age. Within ISCED 0, early childhood educational development programmes are targeted at children aged 0 to 2 years; and pre-primary education programmes are targeted at children aged 3 years until the age to start ISCED 1.