Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Population of compulsory school age, both sexes was 1.90 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Sierra Leone, 2004–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Sierra Leone is 1.90 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 22 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.0% on the previous year and up 16.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Sierra Leone peaked at 1.90 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1.23 million, in 2004.
Sierra Leone ranks 81st of 197 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 1.23 million | — |
| 2005 | 1.28 million | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 1.31 million | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 1.34 million | +2.3% |
| 2008 | 1.38 million | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 1.42 million | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 1.46 million | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 1.50 million | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 1.54 million | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 1.57 million | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 1.61 million | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 1.64 million | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 1.67 million | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 1.71 million | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 1.74 million | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 1.77 million | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 1.80 million | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 1.82 million | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 1.84 million | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 1.86 million | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 1.88 million | +1.1% |
| 2025 | 1.90 million | +1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1.33 million | 1.23 million | 1.42 million | 6 |
| 2010s | 1.62 million | 1.46 million | 1.77 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.85 million | 1.80 million | 1.90 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More education data for Sierra Leone
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.05 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.52 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), per capita 0.122 units per person (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.01 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 2.51 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), per capita 0.1173 units per person (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.16 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 19.82 % change on previous year (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 46,575 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 1.23 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Sierra Leone?
- Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Sierra Leone was 1.90 million in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 1.90 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.23 million in 2004.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for population of compulsory school age, both sexes?
- Sierra Leone ranks 81st out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population of compulsory school age, both sexes rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sierra Leone 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 — 22 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release