Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500)
ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500): Population of compulsory school age, both sexes was 81.84 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500), 1997–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population of compulsory school age, both sexes in ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500) is 81.84 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.
The figure is up 31.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population of compulsory school age, both sexes in ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500) peaked at 81.84 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 41.14 million, in 1997.
That places ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500) 134th out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.
Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 41.14 million | — |
| 1998 | 41.14 million | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 41.65 million | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 44.03 million | +5.7% |
| 2001 | 45.16 million | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 47.12 million | +4.3% |
| 2003 | 47.40 million | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 47.79 million | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 53.44 million | +11.8% |
| 2006 | 53.87 million | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 54.17 million | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 54.65 million | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 55.33 million | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 57.79 million | +4.4% |
| 2011 | 58.57 million | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 59.85 million | +2.2% |
| 2013 | 61.02 million | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 62.32 million | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 69.68 million | +11.8% |
| 2016 | 71.18 million | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 72.85 million | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 74.38 million | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 75.98 million | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 77.73 million | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 79.26 million | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 80.68 million | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 81.84 million | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 81.84 million | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 41.31 million | 41.14 million | 41.65 million | 3 |
| 2000s | 50.30 million | 44.03 million | 55.33 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 66.36 million | 57.79 million | 75.98 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 80.27 million | 77.73 million | 81.84 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500)
More education data for ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 90.4% (2024)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 88.8% (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female 16.59 million (2024)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in vocational 9.6% (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male 17.81 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes 5.68 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes 2.28 million (2024)
- School age population, upper secondary education, female 11.49 million (2024)
- School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes 23.47 million (2024)
- School age population, upper secondary education, male 11.98 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population of compulsory school age, both sexes in ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500)?
- Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500) was 81.84 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500)?
- The highest recorded value was 81.84 million in 2023.
- What is the lowest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500)?
- The lowest recorded value was 41.14 million in 1997.
- How does ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500) rank for population of compulsory school age, both sexes?
- ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500) ranks 134th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is population of compulsory school age, both sexes rising or falling in ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500) 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