Population of compulsory school age, female in UNICEF: Africa
UNICEF: Africa: Population of compulsory school age, female was 146.87 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Population of compulsory school age, female in UNICEF: Africa, 1997–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population of compulsory school age, female in UNICEF: Africa is 146.87 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 29.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population of compulsory school age, female in UNICEF: Africa peaked at 146.87 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 56.54 million, in 1997.
UNICEF: Africa ranks 29th of 221 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.
Population of compulsory school age, female in UNICEF: Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 56.54 million | — |
| 1998 | 56.54 million | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 57.60 million | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 59.62 million | +3.5% |
| 2001 | 60.94 million | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 61.88 million | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 63.11 million | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 81.15 million | +28.6% |
| 2005 | 85.22 million | +5.0% |
| 2006 | 87.32 million | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 90.28 million | +3.4% |
| 2008 | 95.41 million | +5.7% |
| 2009 | 97.46 million | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 101.09 million | +3.7% |
| 2011 | 103.45 million | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 105.94 million | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 110.75 million | +4.5% |
| 2014 | 113.53 million | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 119.30 million | +5.1% |
| 2016 | 123.91 million | +3.9% |
| 2017 | 127.10 million | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 130.27 million | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 133.37 million | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 136.35 million | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 141.07 million | +3.5% |
| 2022 | 143.84 million | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 146.39 million | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 146.87 million | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 56.89 million | 56.54 million | 57.60 million | 3 |
| 2000s | 78.24 million | 59.62 million | 97.46 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 116.87 million | 101.09 million | 133.37 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 142.91 million | 136.35 million | 146.87 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: Africa
More education data for UNICEF: Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 19.22 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.35 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 54.20 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.87 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 29.65 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 2.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.94 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 9.98 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 9.24 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 50.51 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population of compulsory school age, female in UNICEF: Africa?
- Population of compulsory school age, female in UNICEF: Africa was 146.87 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population of compulsory school age, female recorded in UNICEF: Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 146.87 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest population of compulsory school age, female recorded in UNICEF: Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 56.54 million in 1997.
- How does UNICEF: Africa rank for population of compulsory school age, female?
- UNICEF: Africa ranks 29th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is population of compulsory school age, female rising or falling in UNICEF: Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population of compulsory school age, female (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