Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa
UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa: Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both was 16.89 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
16.89 million
Change on year
up 0.8%
Rank
84th
of 221 groups
All-time high
16.89 million
in 2024
All-time low
5.11 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa stood at 16.89 million. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and up 15.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa peaked at 16.89 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 5.11 million, in 1970.
UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa ranks 84th of 221 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
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: Eastern and Southern Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 5.11 million | — |
| 1971 | 5.23 million | +2.4% |
| 1972 | 5.36 million | +2.4% |
| 1973 | 5.50 million | +2.7% |
| 1974 | 5.65 million | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 5.81 million | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 5.95 million | +2.5% |
| 1977 | 6.09 million | +2.4% |
| 1978 | 6.23 million | +2.3% |
| 1979 | 6.39 million | +2.5% |
| 1980 | 6.53 million | +2.3% |
| 1981 | 6.64 million | +1.6% |
| 1982 | 6.81 million | +2.5% |
| 1983 | 6.99 million | +2.7% |
| 1984 | 7.17 million | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 7.37 million | +2.8% |
| 1986 | 7.57 million | +2.6% |
| 1987 | 7.76 million | +2.5% |
| 1988 | 7.98 million | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 8.17 million | +2.4% |
| 1990 | 8.35 million | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 8.55 million | +2.4% |
| 1992 | 8.75 million | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 9.00 million | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 9.17 million | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 9.41 million | +2.6% |
| 1996 | 9.58 million | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 9.77 million | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 9.94 million | +1.8% |
| 1999 | 10.20 million | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 10.46 million | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 10.70 million | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 10.89 million | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 11.23 million | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 11.50 million | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 11.73 million | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 12.01 million | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 12.31 million | +2.4% |
| 2008 | 12.58 million | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 12.89 million | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 13.20 million | +2.4% |
| 2011 | 13.55 million | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 13.94 million | +2.8% |
| 2013 | 14.37 million | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 14.69 million | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 15.00 million | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 15.33 million | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 15.50 million | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 15.71 million | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 15.91 million | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 16.08 million | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 16.25 million | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 16.49 million | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 16.75 million | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 16.89 million | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.73 million | 5.11 million | 6.39 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.30 million | 6.53 million | 8.17 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.27 million | 8.35 million | 10.20 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.63 million | 10.46 million | 12.89 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.72 million | 13.20 million | 15.91 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.49 million | 16.08 million | 16.89 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa
More education data for UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 49.26 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 1.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.50 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 2.77 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 36.30 million (2022)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.22 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 50.69 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.32 % change on previous year (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 8.67 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 9.20 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa was 16.89 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: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 16.89 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest population of the official entrance age to primary education, both recorded in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.11 million in 1970.
- How does UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa rank for population of the official entrance age to primary education, both?
- UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa ranks 84th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is population of the official entrance age to primary education, both rising or falling in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.0%. 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 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