Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries
SDG: Least Developed Countries: Population of compulsory school age, both sexes was 189.54 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
189.54 million
Change on year
up 0.5%
Rank
62nd
of 221 groups
All-time high
189.54 million
in 2024
All-time low
83.26 million
in 1997
Years of data
28
1997–2024
Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries, 1997–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, population of compulsory school age, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries stood at 189.54 million. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 28.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population of compulsory school age, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries peaked at 189.54 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 83.26 million, in 1997.
SDG: Least Developed Countries ranks 62nd of 221 groups 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 in SDG: Least Developed Countries, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 83.26 million | — |
| 1998 | 83.28 million | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 85.25 million | +2.4% |
| 2000 | 87.53 million | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 90.10 million | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 92.23 million | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 95.13 million | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 100.07 million | +5.2% |
| 2005 | 107.83 million | +7.8% |
| 2006 | 111.51 million | +3.4% |
| 2007 | 115.31 million | +3.4% |
| 2008 | 126.43 million | +9.6% |
| 2009 | 129.49 million | +2.4% |
| 2010 | 135.17 million | +4.4% |
| 2011 | 138.21 million | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 141.43 million | +2.3% |
| 2013 | 144.94 million | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 147.87 million | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 156.60 million | +5.9% |
| 2016 | 163.04 million | +4.1% |
| 2017 | 166.07 million | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 169.21 million | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 172.38 million | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 175.51 million | +1.8% |
| 2021 | 182.40 million | +3.9% |
| 2022 | 185.56 million | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 188.53 million | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 189.54 million | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 83.93 million | 83.26 million | 85.25 million | 3 |
| 2000s | 105.56 million | 87.53 million | 129.49 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 153.49 million | 135.17 million | 172.38 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 184.31 million | 175.51 million | 189.54 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Least Developed Countries
- 59 Zambia 3.94 million compare
- 60 South Korea 3.87 million compare
- 61 Sri Lanka 3.81 million compare
- 62 Australia 3.64 million compare
- 63 Kazakhstan 3.54 million compare
- 64 Poland 3.52 million compare
- 65 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 3.41 million compare
More education data for SDG: Least Developed Countries
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.81 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 12.39 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 87.82 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.9918 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 75.92 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.7503 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.43 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 39.55 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.7518 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 36.37 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population of compulsory school age, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries was 189.54 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- The highest recorded value was 189.54 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 83.26 million in 1997.
- How does SDG: Least Developed Countries rank for population of compulsory school age, both sexes?
- SDG: Least Developed Countries ranks 62nd out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is population of compulsory school age, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 28.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: Least Developed Countries 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