Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both was 599,784 number in 2020. ▲ Rising
Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in Saudi Arabia, 1970–2020
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 Saudi Arabia is 599,784 number, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.2% on the previous year and up 12.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in Saudi Arabia peaked at 599,784 number in 2020 and was at its lowest, 167,643 number, in 1970.
That places Saudi Arabia 45th out of 206 countries with data for 2020, putting it 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 Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 167,643 number | — |
| 1971 | 174,791 number | +4.3% |
| 1972 | 182,805 number | +4.6% |
| 1973 | 191,238 number | +4.6% |
| 1974 | 200,191 number | +4.7% |
| 1975 | 209,726 number | +4.8% |
| 1976 | 220,001 number | +4.9% |
| 1977 | 231,411 number | +5.2% |
| 1978 | 243,884 number | +5.4% |
| 1979 | 257,482 number | +5.6% |
| 1980 | 272,230 number | +5.7% |
| 1981 | 287,944 number | +5.8% |
| 1982 | 303,503 number | +5.4% |
| 1983 | 319,712 number | +5.3% |
| 1984 | 336,597 number | +5.3% |
| 1985 | 353,962 number | +5.2% |
| 1986 | 371,820 number | +5.0% |
| 1987 | 394,560 number | +6.1% |
| 1988 | 419,841 number | +6.4% |
| 1989 | 445,798 number | +6.2% |
| 1990 | 470,227 number | +5.5% |
| 1991 | 490,610 number | +4.3% |
| 1992 | 511,163 number | +4.2% |
| 1993 | 524,024 number | +2.5% |
| 1994 | 530,860 number | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 533,032 number | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 532,744 number | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 533,338 number | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 536,525 number | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 541,951 number | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 548,347 number | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 554,276 number | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 550,632 number | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 544,137 number | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 536,740 number | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 529,770 number | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 525,520 number | -0.8% |
| 2007 | 521,876 number | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 522,279 number | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 525,973 number | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 532,195 number | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 539,338 number | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 540,726 number | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 545,414 number | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 552,059 number | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 558,910 number | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 564,129 number | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 574,602 number | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 584,070 number | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 592,549 number | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 599,784 number | +1.2% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 599,784 number is above the median for high income countries, which is 44,436 number, 13.5× the median. (76 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 599,784 number is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 203,743 number, 2.9× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 207,917 number | 167,643 number | 257,482 number | 10 |
| 1980s | 350,597 number | 272,230 number | 445,798 number | 10 |
| 1990s | 520,447 number | 470,227 number | 541,951 number | 10 |
| 2000s | 535,955 number | 521,876 number | 554,276 number | 10 |
| 2010s | 558,399 number | 532,195 number | 592,549 number | 10 |
| 2020s | 599,784 number | 599,784 number | 599,784 number | 1 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 42 Uzbekistan 647,828 number compare
- 43 Mali 619,276 number compare
- 44 Burkina Faso 618,890 number compare
- 46 Malawi 553,182 number compare
- 47 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 549,919 number compare
- 48 Nepal 546,477 number compare
More education data for Saudi Arabia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 242,375 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 26,900 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 215,559 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 214,840 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.36 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.45 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.53 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0976 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in Saudi Arabia?
- Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in Saudi Arabia was 599,784 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 599,784 number in 2020.
- What is the lowest population of the official entrance age to primary education, both recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 167,643 number in 1970.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for population of the official entrance age to primary education, both?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 45th out of 206 countries with data for 2020.
- Is population of the official entrance age to primary education, both rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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.