Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd)

WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd): Population of compulsory school age, both sexes was 164.63 million in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
164.63 million
Change on year
up 0.7%
Rank
77th
of 221 groups
All-time high
164.63 million
in 2024
All-time low
102.03 million
in 1997
Years of data
28
1997–2024

Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd), 1997–2024

050.0M100.0M150.0M1997201020241997: 102.0M1998: 102.0M1999: 103.6M2000: 107.1M2001: 108.0M2002: 110.5M2003: 111.3M2004: 112.2M2005: 117.9M2006: 118.8M2007: 119.5M2008: 122.2M2009: 123.4M2010: 124.5M2011: 125.7M2012: 127.5M2013: 130.6M2014: 132.9M2015: 140.9M2016: 143.6M2017: 146.4M2018: 149.2M2019: 152.3M2020: 155.4M2021: 158.4M2022: 161.1M2023: 163.5M2024: 164.6M

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

The most recent figure for population of compulsory school age, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd) is 164.63 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.

That represents a change of up 0.7% on the previous year and up 23.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population of compulsory school age, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd) peaked at 164.63 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 102.03 million, in 1997.

WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd) ranks 77th of 221 groups on this measure, 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 (ida & Ibrd), year by year

Annual values for Population of compulsory school age, both sexes (number) in WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd), 1997 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1997 102.03 million
1998 102.03 million +0.0%
1999 103.65 million +1.6%
2000 107.11 million +3.3%
2001 108.04 million +0.9%
2002 110.48 million +2.3%
2003 111.29 million +0.7%
2004 112.17 million +0.8%
2005 117.92 million +5.1%
2006 118.76 million +0.7%
2007 119.54 million +0.7%
2008 122.23 million +2.2%
2009 123.37 million +0.9%
2010 124.49 million +0.9%
2011 125.74 million +1.0%
2012 127.45 million +1.4%
2013 130.63 million +2.5%
2014 132.88 million +1.7%
2015 140.95 million +6.1%
2016 143.60 million +1.9%
2017 146.37 million +1.9%
2018 149.23 million +2.0%
2019 152.30 million +2.1%
2020 155.37 million +2.0%
2021 158.41 million +2.0%
2022 161.12 million +1.7%
2023 163.46 million +1.4%
2024 164.63 million +0.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 102.57 million 102.03 million 103.65 million 3
2000s 115.09 million 107.11 million 123.37 million 10
2010s 137.36 million 124.49 million 152.30 million 10
2020s 160.60 million 155.37 million 164.63 million 5

Countries ranked near WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd)

  1. 74 Togo 2.38 million compare
  2. 75 Benin 2.38 million compare
  3. 76 Guinea 2.31 million compare
  4. 77 Tajikistan 2.22 million compare
  5. 78 Romania 2.14 million compare
  6. 79 Rwanda 2.04 million compare
  7. 80 Jordan 1.91 million compare

See the full ranking of 418 places →

More education data for WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd)

All data for WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd) →

Frequently asked questions

What is population of compulsory school age, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd)?
Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd) was 164.63 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 (ida & Ibrd)?
The highest recorded value was 164.63 million in 2024.
What is the lowest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd)?
The lowest recorded value was 102.03 million in 1997.
How does WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd) rank for population of compulsory school age, both sexes?
WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd) ranks 77th 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 (ida & Ibrd)?
Over the last ten years it is up 23.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd) 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 WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd). Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 15 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/population-of-compulsory-school-age-both-sexes-number-2/wb-middle-east-and-north-africa-ida-and-ibrd/

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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