Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number) in Mali
Mali: Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number) was 2.97 million in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
2.97 million
World rank
54th
of 218 countries
All-time high
2.97 million
in 2023
All-time low
203,703
in 1971
Years of data
49
1971–2023
Enrolment in primary education, both sexes in Mali, 1971–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2023, enrolment in primary education, both sexes in Mali stood at 2.97 million. That is the highest value across all 49 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 43.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in primary education, both sexes in Mali peaked at 2.97 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 203,703, in 1971.
That places Mali 54th out of 218 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number) in Mali, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 203,703 | — |
| 1972 | 217,070 | +6.6% |
| 1973 | 224,699 | +3.5% |
| 1974 | 236,622 | +5.3% |
| 1975 | 240,521 | +1.6% |
| 1976 | 252,393 | +4.9% |
| 1977 | 265,496 | +5.2% |
| 1978 | 280,459 | +5.6% |
| 1979 | 293,227 | +4.6% |
| 1980 | 298,697 | +1.9% |
| 1981 | 291,159 | -2.5% |
| 1982 | 291,546 | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 296,301 | +1.6% |
| 1984 | 293,050 | -1.1% |
| 1985 | 294,153 | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 292,395 | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 298,913 | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 307,587 | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 365,158 | +18.7% |
| 1990 | 377,372 | +3.3% |
| 1991 | 395,334 | +4.8% |
| 1992 | 430,636 | +8.9% |
| 1993 | 494,581 | +14.8% |
| 1994 | 557,084 | +12.6% |
| 1995 | 612,469 | +9.9% |
| 1996 | 683,163 | +11.5% |
| 1997 | 778,450 | +13.9% |
| 1998 | 862,874 | +10.8% |
| 1999 | 958,935 | +11.1% |
| 2000 | 1.02 million | +6.0% |
| 2001 | 1.13 million | +10.9% |
| 2002 | 1.23 million | +8.9% |
| 2003 | 1.29 million | +5.5% |
| 2004 | 1.40 million | +7.9% |
| 2005 | 1.51 million | +7.8% |
| 2006 | 1.61 million | +6.9% |
| 2007 | 1.72 million | +6.6% |
| 2008 | 1.82 million | +6.2% |
| 2009 | 1.93 million | +5.7% |
| 2010 | 2.02 million | +4.8% |
| 2011 | 2.11 million | +4.8% |
| 2012 | 2.11 million | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 2.07 million | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 2.18 million | +5.5% |
| 2015 | 2.23 million | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 2.36 million | +5.8% |
| 2017 | 2.54 million | +7.7% |
| 2018 | 2.48 million | -2.4% |
| 2023 | 2.97 million | +20.0% |
Mali compared with similar countries
- Mali's 2.97 million is below the median for low income countries, which is 3.01 million, 99% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Mali's 2.97 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.40 million, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 246,021 | 203,703 | 293,227 | 9 |
| 1980s | 302,896 | 291,159 | 365,158 | 10 |
| 1990s | 615,090 | 377,372 | 958,935 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.46 million | 1.02 million | 1.93 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.23 million | 2.02 million | 2.54 million | 9 |
| 2020s | 2.97 million | 2.97 million | 2.97 million | 1 |
Countries ranked near Mali
More education data for Mali
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 80,395 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 512,692 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 82,198 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 83,509 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.31 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.97 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.42 % change on previous year (2018)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1251 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in primary education, both sexes in Mali?
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes in Mali was 2.97 million in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in primary education, both sexes recorded in Mali?
- The highest recorded value was 2.97 million in 2023.
- What is the lowest enrolment in primary education, both sexes recorded in Mali?
- The lowest recorded value was 203,703 in 1971.
- How does Mali rank for enrolment in primary education, both sexes?
- Mali ranks 54th out of 218 countries with data for 2023.
- Is enrolment in primary education, both sexes rising or falling in Mali?
- Over the last ten years it is up 43.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Mali data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 49 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release