How does UIS: Sub-saharan Africa rank for population of the official entrance age to primary education, both?

UIS: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 43rd out of 221 groups with data for 2024.

Is population of the official entrance age to primary education, both rising or falling in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?

Over the last ten years it is up 18.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa

Name: Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa
Creator: UNESCO Institute for Statistics
License: CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)

UIS: Sub-saharan Africa: Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both was 33.05 million in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)

33.05 million

Change on year

up 0.6%

Rank

43rd

of 221 groups

All-time high

33.05 million

in 2024

All-time low

8.23 million

in 1970

Years of data

1970–2024

Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2024

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

UIS: Sub-saharan Africa recorded 33.05 million for population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.

That represents a change of 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 UIS: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 33.05 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 8.23 million, in 1970.

That places UIS: Sub-saharan Africa 43rd 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 UIS: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year

Annual values for Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both sexes (number) in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970 to 2024.
Year	Value	Change
1970	8.23 million	—
1971	8.47 million	+2.9%
1972	8.71 million	+2.9%
1973	8.98 million	+3.1%
1974	9.26 million	+3.1%
1975	9.56 million	+3.2%
1976	9.85 million	+3.0%
1977	10.13 million	+2.9%
1978	10.42 million	+2.8%
1979	10.75 million	+3.2%
1980	11.08 million	+3.0%
1981	11.38 million	+2.8%
1982	11.74 million	+3.2%
1983	12.12 million	+3.2%
1984	12.51 million	+3.2%
1985	12.91 million	+3.3%
1986	13.31 million	+3.0%
1987	13.66 million	+2.7%
1988	14.07 million	+3.0%
1989	14.48 million	+2.9%
1990	14.88 million	+2.8%
1991	15.23 million	+2.4%
1992	15.61 million	+2.5%
1993	16.05 million	+2.8%
1994	16.41 million	+2.2%
1995	16.86 million	+2.8%
1996	17.26 million	+2.3%
1997	17.65 million	+2.3%
1998	18.06 million	+2.3%
1999	18.54 million	+2.7%
2000	19.02 million	+2.6%
2001	19.51 million	+2.5%
2002	20.02 million	+2.6%
2003	20.60 million	+2.9%
2004	21.11 million	+2.5%
2005	21.60 million	+2.3%
2006	22.25 million	+3.0%
2007	22.95 million	+3.1%
2008	23.56 million	+2.7%
2009	24.18 million	+2.6%
2010	24.83 million	+2.7%
2011	25.51 million	+2.7%
2012	26.29 million	+3.1%
2013	27.14 million	+3.2%
2014	27.83 million	+2.6%
2015	28.56 million	+2.6%
2016	29.28 million	+2.5%
2017	29.86 million	+2.0%
2018	30.47 million	+2.0%
2019	30.99 million	+1.7%
2020	31.46 million	+1.5%
2021	31.99 million	+1.7%
2022	32.43 million	+1.4%
2023	32.85 million	+1.3%
2024	33.05 million	+0.6%

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1970s	9.43 million	8.23 million	10.75 million	10
1980s	12.73 million	11.08 million	14.48 million	10
1990s	16.66 million	14.88 million	18.54 million	10
2000s	21.48 million	19.02 million	24.18 million	10
2010s	28.08 million	24.83 million	30.99 million	10
2020s	32.36 million	31.46 million	33.05 million	5

Countries ranked near UIS: Sub-saharan Africa

40 France 756,636 compare
41 Thailand 716,003 compare
42 Uzbekistan 688,842 compare
43 Argentina 676,726 compare
44 Burkina Faso 667,283 compare
45 Morocco 647,313 compare
46 Chad 637,945 compare

See the full ranking of 443 places →

More education data for UIS: Sub-saharan Africa

Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 9.73 million (2021)
Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.7518 % change on previous year (2024)
Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 37.39 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 40.73 million (2024)
Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.23 % change on previous year (2024)
Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 25.04 million (2024)
Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.63 % change on previous year (2024)
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 3.6 % change on previous year (2021)
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 4.53 % change on previous year (2021)

All data for UIS: Sub-saharan Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?: Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa was 33.05 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 UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?: The highest recorded value was 33.05 million in 2024.
What is the lowest population of the official entrance age to primary education, both recorded in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?: The lowest recorded value was 8.23 million in 1970.
How does UIS: Sub-saharan Africa rank for population of the official entrance age to primary education, both?: UIS: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 43rd out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
Is population of the official entrance age to primary education, both rising or falling in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?: Over the last ten years it is up 18.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this UIS: Sub-saharan Africa 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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Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/population-of-the-official-entrance-age-to-primary-education-both-sexes-number-2/uis-sub-saharan-africa/

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About this data

Indicator: Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both sexes (number)
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage: 443 places, 20,728 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed: 06 September 2026

February 2026 Data Release