Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in UNICEF: All Unicef Countries
UNICEF: All Unicef Countries: Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both was 124.79 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
124.79 million
Change on year
down 0.4%
Rank
6th
of 221 groups
All-time high
125.89 million
in 2021
All-time low
89.71 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in UNICEF: All Unicef Countries, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in UNICEF: All Unicef Countries is 124.79 million, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 0.4% on the previous year and up 5.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in UNICEF: All Unicef Countries peaked at 125.89 million in 2021 and was at its lowest, 89.71 million, in 1970.
UNICEF: All Unicef Countries ranks 6th of 221 groups on this measure, 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 UNICEF: All Unicef Countries, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 89.71 million | — |
| 1971 | 96.10 million | +7.1% |
| 1972 | 93.90 million | -2.3% |
| 1973 | 94.70 million | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 94.84 million | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 94.17 million | -0.7% |
| 1976 | 98.69 million | +4.8% |
| 1977 | 98.99 million | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 100.53 million | +1.5% |
| 1979 | 99.92 million | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 99.85 million | -0.1% |
| 1981 | 99.83 million | -0.0% |
| 1982 | 98.78 million | -1.0% |
| 1983 | 97.51 million | -1.3% |
| 1984 | 97.53 million | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 97.14 million | -0.4% |
| 1986 | 98.30 million | +1.2% |
| 1987 | 100.31 million | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 101.90 million | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 103.83 million | +1.9% |
| 1990 | 106.64 million | +2.7% |
| 1991 | 105.00 million | -1.5% |
| 1992 | 106.96 million | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 108.78 million | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 111.14 million | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 113.38 million | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 113.12 million | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 114.54 million | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 115.86 million | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 111.19 million | -4.0% |
| 2000 | 110.13 million | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 109.98 million | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 109.84 million | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 109.84 million | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 109.25 million | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 109.41 million | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 110.07 million | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 111.88 million | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 111.70 million | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 111.98 million | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 112.70 million | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 113.92 million | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 115.09 million | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 116.61 million | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 118.29 million | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 120.34 million | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 121.69 million | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 122.33 million | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 123.17 million | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 125.74 million | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 125.06 million | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 125.89 million | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 124.80 million | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 125.24 million | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 124.79 million | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 96.16 million | 89.71 million | 100.53 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 99.50 million | 97.14 million | 103.83 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 110.66 million | 105.00 million | 115.86 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 110.41 million | 109.25 million | 111.98 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 118.99 million | 112.70 million | 125.74 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 125.16 million | 124.79 million | 125.89 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: All Unicef Countries
- 3 Nigeria 6.39 million compare
- 4 Pakistan 6.18 million compare
- 5 Indonesia 4.56 million compare
- 6 United States of America 3.89 million compare
- 7 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 3.51 million compare
- 8 Ethiopia 3.43 million compare
- 9 Bangladesh 3.16 million compare
More education data for UNICEF: All Unicef Countries
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 569.51 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.8422 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 274.67 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 1.48 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 29.12 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.6486 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.84 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.59 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 345.07 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 294.84 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in UNICEF: All Unicef Countries?
- Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in UNICEF: All Unicef Countries was 124.79 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 UNICEF: All Unicef Countries?
- The highest recorded value was 125.89 million in 2021.
- What is the lowest population of the official entrance age to primary education, both recorded in UNICEF: All Unicef Countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 89.71 million in 1970.
- How does UNICEF: All Unicef Countries rank for population of the official entrance age to primary education, both?
- UNICEF: All Unicef Countries ranks 6th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is population of the official entrance age to primary education, both rising or falling in UNICEF: All Unicef Countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: All Unicef Countries 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