Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)
ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126): Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both was 34.45 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
34.45 million
Change on year
up 0.6%
Rank
38th
of 221 groups
All-time high
34.45 million
in 2024
All-time low
9.05 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126), 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) is 34.45 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 18.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) peaked at 34.45 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 9.05 million, in 1970.
That places ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) 38th out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 9.05 million | — |
| 1971 | 9.29 million | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 9.53 million | +2.6% |
| 1973 | 9.80 million | +2.8% |
| 1974 | 10.08 million | +2.9% |
| 1975 | 10.38 million | +3.0% |
| 1976 | 10.68 million | +2.8% |
| 1977 | 10.96 million | +2.7% |
| 1978 | 11.25 million | +2.6% |
| 1979 | 11.58 million | +3.0% |
| 1980 | 11.91 million | +2.8% |
| 1981 | 12.21 million | +2.6% |
| 1982 | 12.58 million | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 12.95 million | +3.0% |
| 1984 | 13.34 million | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 13.75 million | +3.1% |
| 1986 | 14.14 million | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 14.50 million | +2.5% |
| 1988 | 14.90 million | +2.8% |
| 1989 | 15.31 million | +2.7% |
| 1990 | 15.72 million | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 16.07 million | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 16.45 million | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 16.89 million | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 17.25 million | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 17.70 million | +2.6% |
| 1996 | 18.10 million | +2.2% |
| 1997 | 18.49 million | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 18.90 million | +2.2% |
| 1999 | 19.41 million | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 19.92 million | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 20.42 million | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 20.95 million | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 21.55 million | +2.9% |
| 2004 | 22.07 million | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 22.57 million | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 23.25 million | +3.0% |
| 2007 | 23.97 million | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 24.60 million | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 25.25 million | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 25.92 million | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 26.62 million | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 27.43 million | +3.0% |
| 2013 | 28.29 million | +3.2% |
| 2014 | 29.01 million | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 29.76 million | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 30.51 million | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 31.11 million | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 31.73 million | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 32.27 million | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 32.75 million | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 33.31 million | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 33.80 million | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 34.25 million | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 34.45 million | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 10.26 million | 9.05 million | 11.58 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 13.56 million | 11.91 million | 15.31 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.50 million | 15.72 million | 19.41 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.45 million | 19.92 million | 25.25 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.26 million | 25.92 million | 32.27 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.71 million | 32.75 million | 34.45 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)
More education data for ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 5.89 million (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 38.99 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.61 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 42.27 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.26 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 26.34 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.59 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 3.52 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 3.88 % change on previous year (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.59 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
- Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) was 34.45 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population of the official entrance age to primary education, both recorded in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
- The highest recorded value was 34.45 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest population of the official entrance age to primary education, both recorded in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.05 million in 1970.
- How does ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) rank for population of the official entrance age to primary education, both?
- ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) ranks 38th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is population of the official entrance age to primary education, both rising or falling in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release