Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405)
ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405): Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both was 39.26 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
39.26 million
Change on year
up 0.5%
Rank
21st
of 221 groups
All-time high
39.26 million
in 2024
All-time low
11.19 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405), 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405) stood at 39.26 million. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.5% on the previous year and up 18.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405) peaked at 39.26 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 11.19 million, in 1970.
That places ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405) 21st out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
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 ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 11.19 million | — |
| 1971 | 11.46 million | +2.4% |
| 1972 | 11.71 million | +2.2% |
| 1973 | 12.02 million | +2.7% |
| 1974 | 12.35 million | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 12.69 million | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 13.06 million | +2.9% |
| 1977 | 13.43 million | +2.8% |
| 1978 | 13.79 million | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 14.19 million | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 14.58 million | +2.8% |
| 1981 | 14.96 million | +2.7% |
| 1982 | 15.41 million | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 15.85 million | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 16.29 million | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 16.79 million | +3.0% |
| 1986 | 17.27 million | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 17.72 million | +2.6% |
| 1988 | 18.19 million | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 18.69 million | +2.7% |
| 1990 | 19.18 million | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 19.60 million | +2.2% |
| 1992 | 20.03 million | +2.2% |
| 1993 | 20.48 million | +2.2% |
| 1994 | 20.85 million | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 21.32 million | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 21.70 million | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 22.08 million | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 22.47 million | +1.8% |
| 1999 | 22.94 million | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 23.40 million | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 23.87 million | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 24.38 million | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 24.97 million | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 25.52 million | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 26.00 million | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 26.70 million | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 27.45 million | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 28.13 million | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 28.80 million | +2.4% |
| 2010 | 29.53 million | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 30.31 million | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 31.21 million | +3.0% |
| 2013 | 32.19 million | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 33.04 million | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 33.91 million | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 34.78 million | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 35.51 million | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 36.22 million | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 36.91 million | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 37.52 million | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 38.16 million | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 38.70 million | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 39.06 million | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 39.26 million | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 12.59 million | 11.19 million | 14.19 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 16.57 million | 14.58 million | 18.69 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 21.06 million | 19.18 million | 22.94 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.92 million | 23.40 million | 28.80 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.36 million | 29.53 million | 36.91 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.54 million | 37.52 million | 39.26 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405)
More education data for ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 1.99 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 50.51 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)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 19.22 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 3.29 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 9.24 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405)?
- Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405) was 39.26 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 ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405)?
- The highest recorded value was 39.26 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest population of the official entrance age to primary education, both recorded in ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405)?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.19 million in 1970.
- How does ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405) rank for population of the official entrance age to primary education, both?
- ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405) ranks 21st out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is population of the official entrance age to primary education, both rising or falling in ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405) 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