Population of the official entrance age to primary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa: Population of the official entrance age to primary education, female was 16.44 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
16.44 million
Change on year
up 0.6%
Rank
40th
of 221 groups
All-time high
16.44 million
in 2024
All-time low
4.13 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Population of the official entrance age to primary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, population of the official entrance age to primary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa stood at 16.44 million. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and up 18.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population of the official entrance age to primary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 16.44 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 4.13 million, in 1970.
That places SDG: Sub-saharan Africa 40th out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Population of the official entrance age to primary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 4.13 million | — |
| 1971 | 4.25 million | +2.9% |
| 1972 | 4.37 million | +2.9% |
| 1973 | 4.50 million | +3.1% |
| 1974 | 4.64 million | +3.1% |
| 1975 | 4.79 million | +3.2% |
| 1976 | 4.93 million | +3.0% |
| 1977 | 5.08 million | +2.9% |
| 1978 | 5.22 million | +2.8% |
| 1979 | 5.38 million | +3.2% |
| 1980 | 5.55 million | +3.0% |
| 1981 | 5.69 million | +2.7% |
| 1982 | 5.87 million | +3.2% |
| 1983 | 6.06 million | +3.2% |
| 1984 | 6.26 million | +3.2% |
| 1985 | 6.46 million | +3.3% |
| 1986 | 6.65 million | +3.0% |
| 1987 | 6.83 million | +2.6% |
| 1988 | 7.03 million | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 7.23 million | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 7.43 million | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 7.61 million | +2.4% |
| 1992 | 7.80 million | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 8.02 million | +2.9% |
| 1994 | 8.19 million | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 8.42 million | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 8.61 million | +2.3% |
| 1997 | 8.81 million | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 9.01 million | +2.3% |
| 1999 | 9.25 million | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 9.49 million | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 9.73 million | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 9.99 million | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 10.28 million | +2.9% |
| 2004 | 10.53 million | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 10.77 million | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 11.09 million | +3.0% |
| 2007 | 11.44 million | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 11.74 million | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 12.05 million | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 12.37 million | +2.7% |
| 2011 | 12.71 million | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 13.10 million | +3.0% |
| 2013 | 13.52 million | +3.2% |
| 2014 | 13.86 million | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 14.22 million | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 14.57 million | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 14.86 million | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 15.16 million | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 15.42 million | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 15.65 million | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 15.92 million | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 16.14 million | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 16.34 million | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 16.44 million | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.73 million | 4.13 million | 5.38 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.36 million | 5.55 million | 7.23 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.31 million | 7.43 million | 9.25 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.71 million | 9.49 million | 12.05 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.98 million | 12.37 million | 15.42 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.10 million | 15.65 million | 16.44 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
More education data for SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 191.30 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.31 % change on previous year (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 14.32 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.68 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 37.60 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 12.63 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 12.47 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.8202 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.94 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 97.68 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population of the official entrance age to primary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Population of the official entrance age to primary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 16.44 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population of the official entrance age to primary education, female recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 16.44 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest population of the official entrance age to primary education, female recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.13 million in 1970.
- How does SDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for population of the official entrance age to primary education, female?
- SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 40th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is population of the official entrance age to primary education, female rising or falling in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: Sub-saharan 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, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release