Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa
UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa: Population of compulsory school age, both sexes was 95.25 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
95.25 million
Change on year
up 0.2%
Rank
129th
of 221 groups
All-time high
95.25 million
in 2024
All-time low
59.23 million
in 1997
Years of data
28
1997–2024
Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa, 1997–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, population of compulsory school age, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa stood at 95.25 million. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 33.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population of compulsory school age, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa peaked at 95.25 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 59.23 million, in 1997.
That places UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa 129th 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, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 59.23 million | — |
| 1998 | 59.23 million | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 59.39 million | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 61.28 million | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 61.12 million | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 62.32 million | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 61.79 million | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 61.58 million | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 66.22 million | +7.5% |
| 2006 | 65.95 million | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 65.72 million | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 65.64 million | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 66.04 million | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 66.36 million | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 66.87 million | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 68.00 million | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 70.29 million | +3.4% |
| 2014 | 71.63 million | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 79.19 million | +10.6% |
| 2016 | 81.32 million | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 83.32 million | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 85.23 million | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 87.30 million | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 89.55 million | +2.6% |
| 2021 | 91.59 million | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 93.47 million | +2.1% |
| 2023 | 95.04 million | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 95.25 million | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 59.29 million | 59.23 million | 59.39 million | 3 |
| 2000s | 63.77 million | 61.12 million | 66.22 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 75.95 million | 66.36 million | 87.30 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 92.98 million | 89.55 million | 95.25 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa
- 126 Georgia 506,470 compare
- 127 Namibia 500,912 compare
- 128 Guinea-Bissau 498,975 compare
- 129 Hong Kong, China 493,800 compare
- 130 Armenia 473,011 compare
- 131 Republic of Moldova 395,758 compare
- 132 Lesotho 385,939 compare
More education data for UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 6.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 21.65 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.17 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 23.21 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.71 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 6.49 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -0.5257 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 17.53 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 8.61 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 6.11 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population of compulsory school age, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa?
- Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa was 95.25 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?
- The highest recorded value was 95.25 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 59.23 million in 1997.
- How does UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa rank for population of compulsory school age, both sexes?
- UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa ranks 129th 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?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: Middle East and North 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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About this data
February 2026 Data Release