Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in Afghanistan

Afghanistan: Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both was 1.08 million number in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
1.08 million number
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
23rd
of 206 countries
All-time high
1.08 million number
in 2020
All-time low
315,863 number
in 1970
Years of data
51
1970–2020

Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in Afghanistan, 1970–2020

400.0k600.0k800.0k1.0M197019952020

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

The most recent figure for population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in Afghanistan is 1.08 million number, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 14.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in Afghanistan peaked at 1.08 million number in 2020 and was at its lowest, 315,863 number, in 1970.

Afghanistan ranks 23rd of 206 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.

Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in Afghanistan, year by year

Annual values for Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both sexes (number) in Afghanistan, 1970 to 2020.
Year number Change
1970 315,863 number
1971 327,758 number +3.8%
1972 339,691 number +3.6%
1973 351,092 number +3.4%
1974 361,147 number +2.9%
1975 368,980 number +2.2%
1976 378,972 number +2.7%
1977 387,887 number +2.4%
1978 394,660 number +1.7%
1979 397,933 number +0.8%
1980 396,740 number -0.3%
1981 393,920 number -0.7%
1982 388,734 number -1.3%
1983 382,175 number -1.7%
1984 375,457 number -1.8%
1985 369,205 number -1.7%
1986 366,155 number -0.8%
1987 365,123 number -0.3%
1988 367,925 number +0.8%
1989 376,412 number +2.3%
1990 390,777 number +3.8%
1991 418,101 number +7.0%
1992 453,876 number +8.6%
1993 493,016 number +8.6%
1994 529,529 number +7.4%
1995 560,022 number +5.8%
1996 585,952 number +4.6%
1997 604,198 number +3.1%
1998 618,892 number +2.4%
1999 635,244 number +2.6%
2000 656,206 number +3.3%
2001 680,965 number +3.8%
2002 714,079 number +4.9%
2003 751,130 number +5.2%
2004 786,698 number +4.7%
2005 816,873 number +3.8%
2006 851,145 number +4.2%
2007 878,762 number +3.2%
2008 902,168 number +2.7%
2009 924,581 number +2.5%
2010 947,759 number +2.5%
2011 967,727 number +2.1%
2012 990,332 number +2.3%
2013 1.01 million number +2.3%
2014 1.03 million number +2.0%
2015 1.05 million number +1.4%
2016 1.06 million number +1.6%
2017 1.07 million number +0.9%
2018 1.08 million number +0.4%
2019 1.08 million number +0.2%
2020 1.08 million number +0.2%

Afghanistan compared with similar countries

  • Afghanistan's 1.08 million number is above the median for low income countries, which is 508,120 number, 2.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
  • Afghanistan's 1.08 million number is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 203,743 number, 5.3× the median. (23 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 362,398 number 315,863 number 397,933 number 10
1980s 378,185 number 365,123 number 396,740 number 10
1990s 528,961 number 390,777 number 635,244 number 10
2000s 796,261 number 656,206 number 924,581 number 10
2010s 1.03 million number 947,759 number 1.08 million number 10
2020s 1.08 million number 1.08 million number 1.08 million number 1

Countries ranked near Afghanistan

  1. 20 Türkiye 1.37 million number compare
  2. 21 South Africa 1.17 million number compare
  3. 22 Sudan 1.16 million number compare
  4. 24 Iraq 1.05 million number compare
  5. 25 Angola 1.05 million number compare
  6. 26 Mozambique 933,167 number compare

See the full ranking of 251 places →

More education data for Afghanistan

All data for Afghanistan →

Frequently asked questions

What is population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in Afghanistan?
Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in Afghanistan was 1.08 million number in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest population of the official entrance age to primary education, both recorded in Afghanistan?
The highest recorded value was 1.08 million number in 2020.
What is the lowest population of the official entrance age to primary education, both recorded in Afghanistan?
The lowest recorded value was 315,863 number in 1970.
How does Afghanistan rank for population of the official entrance age to primary education, both?
Afghanistan ranks 23rd out of 206 countries with data for 2020.
Is population of the official entrance age to primary education, both rising or falling in Afghanistan?
Over the last ten years it is up 14.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Afghanistan 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 Afghanistan. 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/afghanistan/

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About this data

Indicator
Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
251 places, 12,277 data points, 1970–2020
Last refreshed

Population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to the official entrance age to primary education. The official entrance age is the age at which students would enter a given programme or level of education assuming they start at the official entrance age for the lowest level of education, study full-time throughout and progressed through the system without repeating or skipping a grade. The theoretical entrance age to a given programme or level is typically, but not always, the most common entrance age.