Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries
UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries: Population of compulsory school age, both sexes was 103.03 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries, 1997–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, population of compulsory school age, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries stood at 103.03 million. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and up 31.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population of compulsory school age, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries peaked at 103.03 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 57.98 million, in 1997.
That places UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries 120th 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 UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 57.98 million | — |
| 1998 | 57.98 million | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 58.14 million | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 60.21 million | +3.6% |
| 2001 | 60.03 million | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 61.22 million | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 60.66 million | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 60.44 million | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 70.40 million | +16.5% |
| 2006 | 70.21 million | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 70.07 million | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 70.08 million | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 70.40 million | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 72.62 million | +3.2% |
| 2011 | 73.29 million | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 74.59 million | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 77.04 million | +3.3% |
| 2014 | 78.53 million | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 86.24 million | +9.8% |
| 2016 | 88.18 million | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 90.33 million | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 92.37 million | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 94.57 million | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 96.92 million | +2.5% |
| 2021 | 99.08 million | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 101.11 million | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 102.82 million | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 103.03 million | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 58.03 million | 57.98 million | 58.14 million | 3 |
| 2000s | 65.37 million | 60.03 million | 70.40 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 82.78 million | 72.62 million | 94.57 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 100.59 million | 96.92 million | 103.03 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries
More education data for UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 17.93 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 2.81 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 22.79 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.18 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 24.28 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.77 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.22 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -0.3301 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 8.84 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 5.99 % change on previous year (2024)
All data for UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries →
Frequently asked questions
- What is population of compulsory school age, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries?
- Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries was 103.03 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries?
- The highest recorded value was 103.03 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 57.98 million in 1997.
- How does UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries rank for population of compulsory school age, both sexes?
- UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries ranks 120th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is population of compulsory school age, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme 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.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release