Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa

SDG: Northern Africa: Population of compulsory school age, both sexes was 57.26 million in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
57.26 million
Change on year
unchanged
Rank
147th
of 221 groups
All-time high
57.26 million
in 2023
All-time low
30.18 million
in 1997
Years of data
28
1997–2024

Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa, 1997–2024

020.0M40.0M60.0M1997201020241997: 30.2M1998: 30.2M1999: 30.3M2000: 32.2M2001: 32.2M2002: 32.0M2003: 31.9M2004: 31.7M2005: 36.8M2006: 36.7M2007: 36.7M2008: 36.7M2009: 36.9M2010: 38.9M2011: 39.3M2012: 39.8M2013: 40.4M2014: 41.1M2015: 47.5M2016: 48.6M2017: 49.7M2018: 50.8M2019: 52.1M2020: 53.5M2021: 54.8M2022: 56.1M2023: 57.3M2024: 57.3M

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

In 2024, population of compulsory school age, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa stood at 57.26 million. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.

That represents a change of up 39.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population of compulsory school age, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa peaked at 57.26 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 30.18 million, in 1997.

That places SDG: Northern Africa 147th 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 SDG: Northern Africa, year by year

Annual values for Population of compulsory school age, both sexes (number) in SDG: Northern Africa, 1997 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1997 30.18 million
1998 30.18 million +0.0%
1999 30.27 million +0.3%
2000 32.21 million +6.4%
2001 32.15 million -0.2%
2002 32.04 million -0.3%
2003 31.85 million -0.6%
2004 31.67 million -0.6%
2005 36.80 million +16.2%
2006 36.71 million -0.2%
2007 36.67 million -0.1%
2008 36.72 million +0.1%
2009 36.88 million +0.4%
2010 38.92 million +5.5%
2011 39.31 million +1.0%
2012 39.81 million +1.3%
2013 40.40 million +1.5%
2014 41.11 million +1.7%
2015 47.53 million +15.6%
2016 48.56 million +2.2%
2017 49.67 million +2.3%
2018 50.84 million +2.4%
2019 52.14 million +2.5%
2020 53.46 million +2.5%
2021 54.79 million +2.5%
2022 56.10 million +2.4%
2023 57.26 million +2.1%
2024 57.26 million +0.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 30.21 million 30.18 million 30.27 million 3
2000s 34.37 million 31.67 million 36.88 million 10
2010s 44.83 million 38.92 million 52.14 million 10
2020s 55.77 million 53.46 million 57.26 million 5

Countries ranked near SDG: Northern Africa

  1. 144 Jamaica 211,441 compare
  2. 145 Slovenia 199,639 compare
  3. 146 Eswatini 192,215 compare
  4. 147 Bahrain 185,493 compare
  5. 148 Mauritius 167,599 compare
  6. 149 Estonia 140,591 compare
  7. 150 Trinidad and Tobago 127,385 compare

See the full ranking of 418 places →

More education data for SDG: Northern Africa

All data for SDG: Northern Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is population of compulsory school age, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa?
Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa was 57.26 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in SDG: Northern Africa?
The highest recorded value was 57.26 million in 2023.
What is the lowest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in SDG: Northern Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 30.18 million in 1997.
How does SDG: Northern Africa rank for population of compulsory school age, both sexes?
SDG: Northern Africa ranks 147th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
Is population of compulsory school age, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Northern Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 39.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this SDG: Northern Africa 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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Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/population-of-compulsory-school-age-both-sexes-number-2/sdg-northern-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Population of compulsory school age, both sexes (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
418 places, 11,049 data points, 1974–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release