Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in South Africa
South Africa: Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both was 1.17 million number in 2020. ▲ Rising
Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in South Africa, 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 South Africa is 1.17 million number, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 20.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in South Africa peaked at 1.17 million number in 2020 and was at its lowest, 621,369 number, in 1970.
That places South Africa 21st out of 206 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.
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 South Africa, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 621,369 number | — |
| 1971 | 637,746 number | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 653,725 number | +2.5% |
| 1973 | 669,257 number | +2.4% |
| 1974 | 684,300 number | +2.2% |
| 1975 | 698,921 number | +2.1% |
| 1976 | 718,174 number | +2.8% |
| 1977 | 738,798 number | +2.9% |
| 1978 | 759,852 number | +2.8% |
| 1979 | 780,221 number | +2.7% |
| 1980 | 798,524 number | +2.3% |
| 1981 | 818,012 number | +2.4% |
| 1982 | 835,465 number | +2.1% |
| 1983 | 852,204 number | +2.0% |
| 1984 | 869,675 number | +2.1% |
| 1985 | 889,776 number | +2.3% |
| 1986 | 916,026 number | +3.0% |
| 1987 | 947,333 number | +3.4% |
| 1988 | 980,484 number | +3.5% |
| 1989 | 1.01 million number | +3.3% |
| 1990 | 1.04 million number | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 1.06 million number | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 1.07 million number | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 1.08 million number | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 1.08 million number | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 1.08 million number | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 1.07 million number | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 1.07 million number | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 1.05 million number | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 1.03 million number | -2.0% |
| 2000 | 1.01 million number | -2.1% |
| 2001 | 995,215 number | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 983,253 number | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 972,852 number | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 963,648 number | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 955,310 number | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 951,051 number | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 950,598 number | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 953,913 number | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 961,151 number | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 972,205 number | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 986,256 number | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 1.01 million number | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 1.04 million number | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 1.07 million number | +3.1% |
| 2015 | 1.10 million number | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 1.13 million number | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 1.14 million number | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 1.16 million number | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 1.16 million number | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 1.17 million number | +0.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 1.17 million number is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 116,888 number, 10.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 1.17 million number is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 360,057 number, 3.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 696,236 number | 621,369 number | 780,221 number | 10 |
| 1980s | 891,988 number | 798,524 number | 1.01 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.06 million number | 1.03 million number | 1.08 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 969,591 number | 950,598 number | 1.01 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.08 million number | 972,205 number | 1.16 million number | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.17 million number | 1.17 million number | 1.17 million number | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More education data for South Africa
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 181,739 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 339,638 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 410,708 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 407,696 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.50 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.52 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.119 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in South Africa?
- Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in South Africa was 1.17 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.17 million number in 2020.
- What is the lowest population of the official entrance age to primary education, both recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 621,369 number in 1970.
- How does South Africa rank for population of the official entrance age to primary education, both?
- South Africa ranks 21st out of 206 countries with data for 2020.
- Is population of the official entrance age to primary education, both rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South 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
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.