Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in ECA: Southern Africa (unsdcode:98104)
ECA: Southern Africa (unsdcode:98104): Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes was 2.24 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
2.24 million
Change on year
up 0.3%
Rank
187th
of 221 groups
All-time high
2.24 million
in 2024
All-time low
101,645
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in ECA: Southern Africa (unsdcode:98104), 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
ECA: Southern Africa (unsdcode:98104) recorded 2.24 million for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 27.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in ECA: Southern Africa (unsdcode:98104) peaked at 2.24 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 101,645, in 1970.
ECA: Southern Africa (unsdcode:98104) ranks 187th of 221 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in ECA: Southern Africa (unsdcode:98104), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 101,645 | — |
| 1971 | 107,358 | +5.6% |
| 1972 | 113,939 | +6.1% |
| 1973 | 122,307 | +7.3% |
| 1974 | 136,455 | +11.6% |
| 1975 | 154,589 | +13.3% |
| 1976 | 169,572 | +9.7% |
| 1977 | 182,311 | +7.5% |
| 1978 | 197,992 | +8.6% |
| 1979 | 213,992 | +8.1% |
| 1980 | 231,496 | +8.2% |
| 1981 | 256,075 | +10.6% |
| 1982 | 281,693 | +10.0% |
| 1983 | 300,251 | +6.6% |
| 1984 | 325,439 | +8.4% |
| 1985 | 353,839 | +8.7% |
| 1986 | 383,957 | +8.5% |
| 1987 | 420,380 | +9.5% |
| 1988 | 461,881 | +9.9% |
| 1989 | 518,532 | +12.3% |
| 1990 | 535,485 | +3.3% |
| 1991 | 569,651 | +6.4% |
| 1992 | 622,038 | +9.2% |
| 1993 | 676,032 | +8.7% |
| 1994 | 747,799 | +10.6% |
| 1995 | 788,162 | +5.4% |
| 1996 | 814,730 | +3.4% |
| 1997 | 841,462 | +3.3% |
| 1998 | 883,454 | +5.0% |
| 1999 | 899,022 | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 929,795 | +3.4% |
| 2001 | 969,489 | +4.3% |
| 2002 | 1.01 million | +4.4% |
| 2003 | 1.10 million | +9.1% |
| 2004 | 1.16 million | +5.0% |
| 2005 | 1.23 million | +6.2% |
| 2006 | 1.29 million | +5.1% |
| 2007 | 1.37 million | +5.5% |
| 2008 | 1.43 million | +4.6% |
| 2009 | 1.49 million | +4.3% |
| 2010 | 1.53 million | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 1.57 million | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 1.63 million | +4.0% |
| 2013 | 1.73 million | +6.1% |
| 2014 | 1.76 million | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 1.83 million | +4.3% |
| 2016 | 1.89 million | +2.9% |
| 2017 | 1.97 million | +4.2% |
| 2018 | 2.06 million | +4.8% |
| 2019 | 2.09 million | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 2.14 million | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 2.15 million | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 2.24 million | +4.3% |
| 2023 | 2.24 million | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 2.24 million | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 150,016 | 101,645 | 213,992 | 10 |
| 1980s | 353,354 | 231,496 | 518,532 | 10 |
| 1990s | 737,784 | 535,485 | 899,022 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.20 million | 929,795 | 1.49 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.81 million | 1.53 million | 2.09 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.20 million | 2.14 million | 2.24 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near ECA: Southern Africa (unsdcode:98104)
- 184 Seychelles 1,203 compare
- 185 San Marino 1,033 compare
- 186 Liechtenstein 971 compare
- 187 Vanuatu 955 compare
- 188 Cayman Islands 912 compare
- 189 Aruba 867 compare
- 190 Palau 768 compare
More education data for ECA: Southern Africa (unsdcode:98104)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 0.4167 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 973,742 (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 0.1548 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.27 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 329,590 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 545,537 (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 0.2683 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.5261 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.9717 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes 14.16 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in ECA: Southern Africa (unsdcode:98104)?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in ECA: Southern Africa (unsdcode:98104) was 2.24 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in ECA: Southern Africa (unsdcode:98104)?
- The highest recorded value was 2.24 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in ECA: Southern Africa (unsdcode:98104)?
- The lowest recorded value was 101,645 in 1970.
- How does ECA: Southern Africa (unsdcode:98104) rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes?
- ECA: Southern Africa (unsdcode:98104) ranks 187th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes rising or falling in ECA: Southern Africa (unsdcode:98104)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this ECA: Southern Africa (unsdcode:98104) data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release