Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia

SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) was 23.78 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
23.78 million
Change on year
up 4.2%
Rank
71st
of 221 groups
All-time high
23.78 million
in 2024
All-time low
1.41 million
in 1971
Years of data
55
1970–2024

Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia, 1970–2024

05.0M10.0M15.0M20.0M25.0M197019972024

Source: Statizoid (derived).

Analysis

In 2024, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia stood at 23.78 million. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.2% on the previous year and up 42.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia peaked at 23.78 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.41 million, in 1971.

SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia ranks 71st of 221 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.

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

Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia, year by year

Annual values for Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number), gaps filled in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia, 1970 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1970 4.17 million
1971 1.41 million -66.2%
1972 1.47 million +4.6%
1973 1.57 million +6.3%
1974 1.86 million +18.5%
1975 1.88 million +1.3%
1976 2.26 million +20.0%
1977 2.22 million -1.4%
1978 2.21 million -0.6%
1979 2.26 million +2.1%
1980 2.30 million +1.9%
1981 2.44 million +6.3%
1982 2.54 million +4.0%
1983 2.66 million +4.5%
1984 2.81 million +6.0%
1985 3.09 million +9.9%
1986 3.15 million +1.9%
1987 3.22 million +2.2%
1988 4.25 million +31.9%
1989 3.40 million -20.0%
1990 3.57 million +5.0%
1991 3.62 million +1.5%
1992 4.01 million +10.8%
1993 4.28 million +6.6%
1994 4.89 million +14.3%
1995 5.12 million +4.7%
1996 5.85 million +14.4%
1997 6.13 million +4.7%
1998 6.51 million +6.2%
1999 7.08 million +8.7%
2000 7.39 million +4.5%
2001 7.75 million +4.8%
2002 8.27 million +6.7%
2003 8.68 million +5.1%
2004 9.26 million +6.6%
2005 9.87 million +6.6%
2006 10.43 million +5.6%
2007 10.91 million +4.7%
2008 11.43 million +4.7%
2009 12.23 million +7.0%
2010 13.21 million +8.0%
2011 13.39 million +1.3%
2012 14.42 million +7.7%
2013 15.66 million +8.6%
2014 16.64 million +6.3%
2015 17.77 million +6.8%
2016 18.65 million +5.0%
2017 19.48 million +4.4%
2018 20.36 million +4.5%
2019 20.83 million +2.3%
2020 21.53 million +3.4%
2021 22.04 million +2.3%
2022 22.32 million +1.3%
2023 22.82 million +2.2%
2024 23.78 million +4.2%

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1971 -66.2% 4.17 million 1.41 million
1988 +31.9% 3.22 million 4.25 million

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 2.13 million 1.41 million 4.17 million 10
1980s 2.99 million 2.30 million 4.25 million 10
1990s 5.10 million 3.57 million 7.08 million 10
2000s 9.62 million 7.39 million 12.23 million 10
2010s 17.04 million 13.21 million 20.83 million 10
2020s 22.50 million 21.53 million 23.78 million 5

Countries ranked near SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia

  1. 68 Finland 338,808 compare
  2. 69 Czechia 338,556 compare
  3. 70 Switzerland 337,303 compare
  4. 71 Cambodia 316,105 compare
  5. 72 Norway 315,674 compare
  6. 73 Hungary 310,414 compare
  7. 74 Belarus 306,459 compare

See the full ranking of 421 places →

More education data for SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia

All data for SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia →

Frequently asked questions

What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia was 23.78 million in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) recorded in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
The highest recorded value was 23.78 million in 2024.
What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) recorded in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
The lowest recorded value was 1.41 million in 1971.
How does SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number)?
SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia ranks 71st out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) rising or falling in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
Over the last ten years it is up 42.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia data come from?
The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number), gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/enrolment-in-tertiary-education-all-programmes-both-sexes-number-gaps-filled/sdg-northern-africa-and-western-asia/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page; please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://education.statizoid.com/stat/enrolment-in-tertiary-education-all-programmes-both-sexes-number-gaps-filled/sdg-northern-africa-and-western-asia/">Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia</a> — Statizoid

How this figure is calculated

Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) with 690 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.

Computed from

Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.

About this data

Indicator
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number), gaps filled
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
421 places, 19,011 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) with 690 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.