Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in China
China: Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both was 17.40 million number in 2020. ▼ Falling
Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in China, 1970–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
China recorded 17.40 million number for population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in 2020.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 5.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in China peaked at 27.30 million number in 1997 and was at its lowest, 16.46 million number, in 2011.
That places China 2nd out of 206 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.
Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in China, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 20.62 million number | — |
| 1971 | 21.79 million number | +5.7% |
| 1972 | 22.81 million number | +4.7% |
| 1973 | 23.93 million number | +4.9% |
| 1974 | 25.02 million number | +4.6% |
| 1975 | 25.98 million number | +3.8% |
| 1976 | 26.70 million number | +2.8% |
| 1977 | 27.22 million number | +1.9% |
| 1978 | 27.23 million number | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 26.86 million number | -1.4% |
| 1980 | 26.22 million number | -2.4% |
| 1981 | 25.40 million number | -3.1% |
| 1982 | 24.65 million number | -3.0% |
| 1983 | 23.52 million number | -4.6% |
| 1984 | 22.22 million number | -5.5% |
| 1985 | 20.94 million number | -5.7% |
| 1986 | 19.85 million number | -5.2% |
| 1987 | 19.14 million number | -3.6% |
| 1988 | 18.98 million number | -0.9% |
| 1989 | 19.23 million number | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 19.77 million number | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 20.49 million number | +3.6% |
| 1992 | 21.21 million number | +3.5% |
| 1993 | 22.58 million number | +6.5% |
| 1994 | 24.23 million number | +7.3% |
| 1995 | 25.77 million number | +6.4% |
| 1996 | 26.84 million number | +4.1% |
| 1997 | 27.30 million number | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 26.25 million number | -3.9% |
| 1999 | 24.26 million number | -7.6% |
| 2000 | 21.93 million number | -9.6% |
| 2001 | 19.80 million number | -9.7% |
| 2002 | 18.35 million number | -7.3% |
| 2003 | 17.67 million number | -3.7% |
| 2004 | 17.24 million number | -2.4% |
| 2005 | 17.46 million number | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 17.40 million number | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 17.20 million number | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 16.97 million number | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 16.73 million number | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 16.54 million number | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 16.46 million number | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 16.48 million number | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 16.57 million number | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 16.72 million number | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 16.88 million number | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 17.01 million number | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 17.15 million number | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 17.26 million number | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 17.35 million number | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 17.40 million number | +0.3% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 17.40 million number is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 116,888 number, 148.9× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 17.40 million number is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 30,680 number, 567.3× the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 24.82 million number | 20.62 million number | 27.23 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 22.01 million number | 18.98 million number | 26.22 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 23.87 million number | 19.77 million number | 27.30 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.07 million number | 16.73 million number | 21.93 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.84 million number | 16.46 million number | 17.35 million number | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.40 million number | 17.40 million number | 17.40 million number | 1 |
Countries ranked near China
More education data for China
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.41 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 7,020 (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 21.58 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 19.36 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 97.98 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 108.57 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9587 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0771 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in China?
- Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in China was 17.40 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 China?
- The highest recorded value was 27.30 million number in 1997.
- What is the lowest population of the official entrance age to primary education, both recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.46 million number in 2011.
- How does China rank for population of the official entrance age to primary education, both?
- China ranks 2nd out of 206 countries with data for 2020.
- Is population of the official entrance age to primary education, both rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China 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
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.