Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes in European Union

European Union: Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes was 15.19 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
15.19 million number
Change on year
down 1.5%
Rank
31st
of 45 groups
All-time high
15.60 million number
in 2016
All-time low
12.82 million number
in 1971
Years of data
50
1970–2019

Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes in European Union, 1970–2019

05.0M10.0M15.0M197019942019

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

The most recent figure for enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes in European Union is 15.19 million number, measured in 2019.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.5% on the previous year and up 7.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes in European Union peaked at 15.60 million number in 2016 and was at its lowest, 12.82 million number, in 1971.

European Union ranks 31st of 45 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.

Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes in European Union, year by year

Annual values for Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number) in European Union, 1970 to 2019.
Year number Change
1970 12.89 million number
1971 12.82 million number -0.6%
1972 12.92 million number +0.8%
1973 13.26 million number +2.6%
1974 13.64 million number +2.9%
1975 13.84 million number +1.5%
1976 14.05 million number +1.5%
1977 14.07 million number +0.1%
1978 14.00 million number -0.5%
1979 13.93 million number -0.5%
1980 13.98 million number +0.4%
1981 14.00 million number +0.1%
1982 13.94 million number -0.4%
1983 13.96 million number +0.1%
1984 14.01 million number +0.4%
1985 14.02 million number +0.0%
1986 14.05 million number +0.2%
1987 13.98 million number -0.5%
1988 13.90 million number -0.5%
1989 13.84 million number -0.5%
1990 13.86 million number +0.1%
1991 13.73 million number -0.9%
1992 13.58 million number -1.1%
1993 13.74 million number +1.2%
1994 13.80 million number +0.5%
1995 13.75 million number -0.4%
1996 13.92 million number +1.3%
1997 13.94 million number +0.1%
1998 13.78 million number -1.1%
1999 13.70 million number -0.6%
2000 13.66 million number -0.3%
2001 13.60 million number -0.4%
2002 13.58 million number -0.1%
2003 13.57 million number -0.1%
2004 13.39 million number -1.3%
2005 13.72 million number +2.5%
2006 13.77 million number +0.3%
2007 13.82 million number +0.4%
2008 13.97 million number +1.1%
2009 14.10 million number +0.9%
2010 14.36 million number +1.9%
2011 14.71 million number +2.5%
2012 14.99 million number +1.9%
2013 15.05 million number +0.4%
2014 15.31 million number +1.7%
2015 15.49 million number +1.2%
2016 15.60 million number +0.8%
2017 15.42 million number -1.2%
2018 15.41 million number -0.1%
2019 15.19 million number -1.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 13.54 million number 12.82 million number 14.07 million number 10
1980s 13.97 million number 13.84 million number 14.05 million number 10
1990s 13.78 million number 13.58 million number 13.94 million number 10
2000s 13.72 million number 13.39 million number 14.10 million number 10
2010s 15.15 million number 14.36 million number 15.60 million number 10

Countries ranked near European Union

  1. 28 Poland 1.36 million number compare
  2. 29 Spain 1.30 million number compare
  3. 30 Republic of Korea 1.26 million number compare
  4. 31 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 1.19 million number compare
  5. 32 Ukraine 1.09 million number compare
  6. 33 Sudan 1.07 million number compare
  7. 34 Malaysia 1.00 million number compare

See the full ranking of 244 places →

More education data for European Union

All data for European Union →

Frequently asked questions

What is enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes in European Union?
Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes in European Union was 15.19 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in European Union?
The highest recorded value was 15.60 million number in 2016.
What is the lowest enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in European Union?
The lowest recorded value was 12.82 million number in 1971.
How does European Union rank for enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes?
European Union ranks 31st out of 45 groups with data for 2019.
Is enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes rising or falling in European Union?
Over the last ten years it is up 7.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this European Union 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 European Union. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/enrolment-in-pre-primary-education-both-sexes-number/european-union/

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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.