Population of compulsory school age, both sexes (number) (school both) in Namibia
Namibia: Population of compulsory school age, both sexes (number) (school both) was 500,912 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Namibia, 1998–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Namibia is 500,912, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.5% on the previous year and up 39.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Namibia peaked at 500,912 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 312,004, in 1998.
Namibia ranks 127th of 197 countries on this measure, 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 (number) (school both) in Namibia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 312,004 | — |
| 1999 | 327,926 | +5.1% |
| 2000 | 342,010 | +4.3% |
| 2001 | 353,845 | +3.5% |
| 2002 | 361,788 | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 365,054 | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 364,497 | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 359,726 | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 355,658 | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 352,861 | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 350,335 | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 347,890 | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 345,969 | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 345,016 | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 344,589 | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 347,788 | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 352,088 | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 358,293 | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 367,738 | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 379,943 | +3.3% |
| 2018 | 395,463 | +4.1% |
| 2019 | 410,464 | +3.8% |
| 2020 | 423,920 | +3.3% |
| 2021 | 439,338 | +3.6% |
| 2022 | 455,129 | +3.6% |
| 2023 | 472,726 | +3.9% |
| 2024 | 488,761 | +3.4% |
| 2025 | 500,912 | +2.5% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 500,912 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.60 million, 19% of the median. (41 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 500,912 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.42 million, 21% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 319,965 | 312,004 | 327,926 | 2 |
| 2000s | 355,366 | 342,010 | 365,054 | 10 |
| 2010s | 364,735 | 344,589 | 410,464 | 10 |
| 2020s | 463,464 | 423,920 | 500,912 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
More education data for Namibia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 10,653 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 90,003 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 26,964 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 27,746 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 236,050 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 590,029 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 4.48 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1947 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Namibia?
- Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Namibia was 500,912 in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 500,912 in 2025.
- What is the lowest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 312,004 in 1998.
- How does Namibia rank for population of compulsory school age, both sexes?
- Namibia ranks 127th out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population of compulsory school age, both sexes rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 39.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Namibia 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 28 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release