Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405)
ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405): Population of compulsory school age, both sexes was 297.58 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405), 1997–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population of compulsory school age, both sexes in ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405) is 297.58 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 29.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population of compulsory school age, both sexes in ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405) peaked at 297.58 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 114.56 million, in 1997.
That places ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405) 30th out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.
Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 114.56 million | — |
| 1998 | 114.56 million | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 116.73 million | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 120.84 million | +3.5% |
| 2001 | 123.51 million | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 125.45 million | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 127.93 million | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 164.54 million | +28.6% |
| 2005 | 172.78 million | +5.0% |
| 2006 | 177.01 million | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 182.95 million | +3.4% |
| 2008 | 193.21 million | +5.6% |
| 2009 | 197.34 million | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 204.66 million | +3.7% |
| 2011 | 209.42 million | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 214.46 million | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 224.20 million | +4.5% |
| 2014 | 229.83 million | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 241.60 million | +5.1% |
| 2016 | 250.92 million | +3.9% |
| 2017 | 257.39 million | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 263.84 million | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 270.13 million | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 276.18 million | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 285.76 million | +3.5% |
| 2022 | 291.40 million | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 296.62 million | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 297.58 million | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 115.28 million | 114.56 million | 116.73 million | 3 |
| 2000s | 158.56 million | 120.84 million | 197.34 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 236.64 million | 204.66 million | 270.13 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 289.51 million | 276.18 million | 297.58 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405)
More education data for ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 3.29 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.87 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 29.65 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 2.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 19.22 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 1.99 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 9.24 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 9.98 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 2.62 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 54.20 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population of compulsory school age, both sexes in ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405)?
- Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405) was 297.58 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405)?
- The highest recorded value was 297.58 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405)?
- The lowest recorded value was 114.56 million in 1997.
- How does ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405) rank for population of compulsory school age, both sexes?
- ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405) ranks 30th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is population of compulsory school age, both sexes rising or falling in ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405) data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population of compulsory school age, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release