Population of compulsory school age, female in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa

UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa: Population of compulsory school age, female was 58.87 million in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
58.87 million
Change on year
up 0.7%
Rank
107th
of 221 groups
All-time high
58.87 million
in 2024
All-time low
24.91 million
in 1997
Years of data
28
1997–2024

Population of compulsory school age, female in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa, 1997–2024

020.0M40.0M60.0M1997201020241997: 24.9M1998: 24.9M1999: 25.5M2000: 26.1M2001: 26.6M2002: 27.1M2003: 27.7M2004: 28.3M2005: 31.5M2006: 32.1M2007: 33.3M2008: 37.3M2009: 38.1M2010: 40.5M2011: 41.5M2012: 42.5M2013: 45.7M2014: 46.7M2015: 47.8M2016: 50.4M2017: 51.5M2018: 52.5M2019: 53.4M2020: 54.3M2021: 56.9M2022: 57.7M2023: 58.5M2024: 58.9M

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

The most recent figure for population of compulsory school age, female in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa is 58.87 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 26.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population of compulsory school age, female in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa peaked at 58.87 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 24.91 million, in 1997.

That places UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa 107th 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, female in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa, year by year

Annual values for Population of compulsory school age, female (number) in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa, 1997 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1997 24.91 million
1998 24.91 million +0.0%
1999 25.46 million +2.2%
2000 26.07 million +2.4%
2001 26.58 million +2.0%
2002 27.09 million +1.9%
2003 27.66 million +2.1%
2004 28.26 million +2.2%
2005 31.47 million +11.4%
2006 32.10 million +2.0%
2007 33.31 million +3.7%
2008 37.26 million +11.9%
2009 38.15 million +2.4%
2010 40.48 million +6.1%
2011 41.45 million +2.4%
2012 42.46 million +2.4%
2013 45.67 million +7.6%
2014 46.70 million +2.3%
2015 47.81 million +2.4%
2016 50.38 million +5.4%
2017 51.46 million +2.1%
2018 52.50 million +2.0%
2019 53.45 million +1.8%
2020 54.29 million +1.6%
2021 56.90 million +4.8%
2022 57.69 million +1.4%
2023 58.45 million +1.3%
2024 58.87 million +0.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 25.09 million 24.91 million 25.46 million 3
2000s 30.80 million 26.07 million 38.15 million 10
2010s 47.24 million 40.48 million 53.45 million 10
2020s 57.24 million 54.29 million 58.87 million 5

Countries ranked near UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa

  1. 104 Cuba 520,448 compare
  2. 105 Switzerland 487,911 compare
  3. 106 Greece 467,399 compare
  4. 107 Nicaragua 458,896 compare
  5. 108 Costa Rica 449,285 compare
  6. 109 Mongolia 431,210 compare
  7. 110 Liberia 430,996 compare

See the full ranking of 418 places →

More education data for UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa

All data for UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is population of compulsory school age, female in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
Population of compulsory school age, female in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa was 58.87 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest population of compulsory school age, female recorded in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
The highest recorded value was 58.87 million in 2024.
What is the lowest population of compulsory school age, female recorded in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 24.91 million in 1997.
How does UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa rank for population of compulsory school age, female?
UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa ranks 107th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
Is population of compulsory school age, female rising or falling in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 26.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this UNICEF: Eastern and Southern 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.

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Population of compulsory school age, female in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 09 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/population-of-compulsory-school-age-female-number-2/unicef-eastern-and-southern-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Population of compulsory school age, female (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