Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan
WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan: Population of compulsory school age, both sexes was 176.52 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, 1997–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan recorded 176.52 million for population of compulsory school age, both sexes in 2024. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.
The figure is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 24.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population of compulsory school age, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan peaked at 176.52 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 108.67 million, in 1997.
That places WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan 69th 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 WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 108.67 million | — |
| 1998 | 108.67 million | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 110.31 million | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 113.81 million | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 114.88 million | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 117.37 million | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 118.23 million | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 119.29 million | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 125.11 million | +4.9% |
| 2006 | 126.03 million | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 126.88 million | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 129.67 million | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 131.14 million | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 132.32 million | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 133.65 million | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 135.82 million | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 139.12 million | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 141.57 million | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 150.39 million | +6.2% |
| 2016 | 153.72 million | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 156.86 million | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 159.95 million | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 163.20 million | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 166.63 million | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 169.89 million | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 172.81 million | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 175.34 million | +1.5% |
| 2024 | 176.52 million | +0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 109.22 million | 108.67 million | 110.31 million | 3 |
| 2000s | 122.24 million | 113.81 million | 131.14 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 146.66 million | 132.32 million | 163.20 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 172.24 million | 166.63 million | 176.52 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan
More education data for WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 4.42 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 16.51 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 3.77 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 35.93 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 5.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 32.16 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 2.28 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 3.29 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 43.62 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.72 % change on previous year (2024)
All data for WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan →
Frequently asked questions
- What is population of compulsory school age, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan?
- Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan was 176.52 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 176.52 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 108.67 million in 1997.
- How does WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan rank for population of compulsory school age, both sexes?
- WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan ranks 69th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is population of compulsory school age, both sexes rising or falling in WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan 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