Enrolment in primary education, female in South Asia
South Asia: Enrolment in primary education, female was 82.35 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising
Latest (2019)
82.35 million number
Change on year
down 1.0%
Rank
14th
of 43 groups
All-time high
98.46 million number
in 2016
All-time low
24.58 million number
in 1970
Years of data
50
1970–2019
Enrolment in primary education, female in South Asia, 1970–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
South Asia recorded 82.35 million number for enrolment in primary education, female in 2019.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.0% on the previous year and down 6.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in primary education, female in South Asia peaked at 98.46 million number in 2016 and was at its lowest, 24.58 million number, in 1970.
That places South Asia 14th out of 43 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Enrolment in primary education, female in South Asia, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 24.58 million number | — |
| 1971 | 24.98 million number | +1.6% |
| 1972 | 26.30 million number | +5.3% |
| 1973 | 28.45 million number | +8.2% |
| 1974 | 28.69 million number | +0.9% |
| 1975 | 29.74 million number | +3.7% |
| 1976 | 30.47 million number | +2.5% |
| 1977 | 32.04 million number | +5.1% |
| 1978 | 31.38 million number | -2.1% |
| 1979 | 32.32 million number | +3.0% |
| 1980 | 33.55 million number | +3.8% |
| 1981 | 35.27 million number | +5.1% |
| 1982 | 36.29 million number | +2.9% |
| 1983 | 37.85 million number | +4.3% |
| 1984 | 39.65 million number | +4.7% |
| 1985 | 40.82 million number | +3.0% |
| 1986 | 43.08 million number | +5.5% |
| 1987 | 43.46 million number | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 46.38 million number | +6.7% |
| 1989 | 48.44 million number | +4.4% |
| 1990 | 50.10 million number | +3.4% |
| 1991 | 52.05 million number | +3.9% |
| 1992 | 53.92 million number | +3.6% |
| 1993 | 56.96 million number | +5.7% |
| 1994 | 59.15 million number | +3.8% |
| 1995 | 60.12 million number | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 61.15 million number | +1.7% |
| 1997 | 62.10 million number | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 62.25 million number | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 63.39 million number | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 65.04 million number | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 65.54 million number | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 67.78 million number | +3.4% |
| 2003 | 76.80 million number | +13.3% |
| 2004 | 78.87 million number | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 81.35 million number | +3.1% |
| 2006 | 83.24 million number | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 85.56 million number | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 87.27 million number | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 87.85 million number | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 88.42 million number | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 88.88 million number | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 90.22 million number | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 93.38 million number | +3.5% |
| 2014 | 92.07 million number | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 92.63 million number | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 98.46 million number | +6.3% |
| 2017 | 96.79 million number | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 83.20 million number | -14.0% |
| 2019 | 82.35 million number | -1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 28.90 million number | 24.58 million number | 32.32 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 40.48 million number | 33.55 million number | 48.44 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 58.12 million number | 50.10 million number | 63.39 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 77.93 million number | 65.04 million number | 87.85 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 90.64 million number | 82.35 million number | 98.46 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
- 11 Mexico 6.90 million number compare
- 12 Egypt 6.46 million number compare
- 13 Philippines 6.43 million number compare
- 14 Tanzania, United Republic of 5.30 million number compare
- 15 Uganda 4.45 million number compare
- 16 Kenya 4.12 million number compare
- 17 Iran, Islamic Republic of 4.10 million number compare
More education data for South Asia
- Population ages 15-64 68.1% (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 5.84 million (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 24.6% (2025)
- School enrollment, primary 119.0% (2024)
- Primary education, teachers 5.84 million (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per capita 0.0035 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female 119.2% (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, male 118.8% (2024)
- Labor force, female 29.1% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in primary education, female in South Asia?
- Enrolment in primary education, female in South Asia was 82.35 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in primary education, female recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 98.46 million number in 2016.
- What is the lowest enrolment in primary education, female recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.58 million number in 1970.
- How does South Asia rank for enrolment in primary education, female?
- South Asia ranks 14th out of 43 groups with data for 2019.
- Is enrolment in primary education, female rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Asia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in primary education, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total number of female students enrolled in public and private primary education institutions regardless of age.