Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) was 13.22 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
13.22 units per square kilometre
Change on year
up 2.2%
World rank
25th
of 195 countries
All-time high
13.22 units per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
2.49 units per square kilometre
in 1971
Years of data
53
1971–2023

Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1971–2023

2.557.51012.5197119972023

Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.

Analysis

The most recent figure for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is 13.22 units per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 53 years on record.

That represents a change of up 2.2% on the previous year and up 34.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 13.22 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 2.49 units per square kilometre, in 1971.

That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 25th out of 195 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 53 years of available data.

Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number), per square kilometre in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1971 to 2023.
Year units per square kilometre Change
1971 2.49 units per square kilometre
1972 2.55 units per square kilometre +2.4%
1973 2.57 units per square kilometre +1.0%
1974 2.63 units per square kilometre +2.4%
1975 2.91 units per square kilometre +10.4%
1976 3.03 units per square kilometre +4.2%
1977 3.1 units per square kilometre +2.4%
1978 3.14 units per square kilometre +1.3%
1979 3.24 units per square kilometre +3.1%
1980 3.29 units per square kilometre +1.6%
1981 3.42 units per square kilometre +3.9%
1982 3.55 units per square kilometre +3.8%
1983 4.05 units per square kilometre +14.2%
1984 4.13 units per square kilometre +2.0%
1985 4.16 units per square kilometre +0.7%
1986 4.27 units per square kilometre +2.5%
1987 4.42 units per square kilometre +3.5%
1988 4.49 units per square kilometre +1.7%
1989 4.6 units per square kilometre +2.5%
1990 4.87 units per square kilometre +5.8%
1991 5.2 units per square kilometre +6.8%
1992 5.73 units per square kilometre +10.1%
1993 6.32 units per square kilometre +10.3%
1994 6.88 units per square kilometre +8.9%
1995 7.5 units per square kilometre +9.0%
1996 7.53 units per square kilometre +0.4%
1997 7.82 units per square kilometre +3.9%
1998 8.01 units per square kilometre +2.5%
1999 8.6 units per square kilometre +7.4%
2000 8.37 units per square kilometre -2.7%
2001 8.55 units per square kilometre +2.1%
2002 9.26 units per square kilometre +8.4%
2003 9.46 units per square kilometre +2.1%
2004 9.29 units per square kilometre -1.8%
2005 9.46 units per square kilometre +1.8%
2006 9.66 units per square kilometre +2.1%
2007 9.77 units per square kilometre +1.1%
2008 9.63 units per square kilometre -1.4%
2009 9.98 units per square kilometre +3.7%
2010 10.25 units per square kilometre +2.6%
2011 10.3 units per square kilometre +0.5%
2012 10.32 units per square kilometre +0.1%
2013 9.86 units per square kilometre -4.4%
2014 9.73 units per square kilometre -1.4%
2015 9.63 units per square kilometre -1.0%
2016 9.87 units per square kilometre +2.4%
2017 10.05 units per square kilometre +1.9%
2018 10.2 units per square kilometre +1.4%
2019 10.82 units per square kilometre +6.1%
2020 11.3 units per square kilometre +4.4%
2021 12.38 units per square kilometre +9.5%
2022 12.93 units per square kilometre +4.5%
2023 13.22 units per square kilometre +2.2%

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland compared with similar countries

  • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 13.22 units per square kilometre is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.37 units per square kilometre, 3.0× the median. (76 countries reporting)
  • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 13.22 units per square kilometre is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3.14 units per square kilometre, 4.2× the median. (52 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 2.85 units per square kilometre 2.49 units per square kilometre 3.24 units per square kilometre 9
1980s 4.04 units per square kilometre 3.29 units per square kilometre 4.6 units per square kilometre 10
1990s 6.84 units per square kilometre 4.87 units per square kilometre 8.6 units per square kilometre 10
2000s 9.34 units per square kilometre 8.37 units per square kilometre 9.98 units per square kilometre 10
2010s 10.1 units per square kilometre 9.63 units per square kilometre 10.82 units per square kilometre 10
2020s 12.46 units per square kilometre 11.3 units per square kilometre 13.22 units per square kilometre 4

Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  1. 22 Aruba 14.24 units per square kilometre compare
  2. 23 Saint Kitts and Nevis 13.64 units per square kilometre compare
  3. 24 Guam 13.52 units per square kilometre compare
  4. 26 Dominican Republic 11.19 units per square kilometre compare
  5. 27 Bermuda 10.8 units per square kilometre compare
  6. 28 Japan 10.65 units per square kilometre compare

See the full ranking of 195 places →

More education data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 13.22 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 13.22 units per square kilometre in 2023.
What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 2.49 units per square kilometre in 1971.
How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number)?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 25th out of 195 countries with data for 2023.
Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is up 34.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number), per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/enrolment-in-tertiary-education-all-programmes-both-sexes-number-per-square-kilometre/united-kingdom/

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<a href="https://education.statizoid.com/stat/enrolment-in-tertiary-education-all-programmes-both-sexes-number-per-square-kilometre/united-kingdom/">Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland</a> — Statizoid

How this figure is calculated

Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.

Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) ÷ Land area (sq. km)

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), per square kilometre
Unit
units per square kilometre
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
195 places, 6,190 data points, 1970–2023
Last refreshed

Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.