Population of the official entrance age to secondary general in China
China: Population of the official entrance age to secondary general was 18.93 million in 2025. ▼ Falling
Population of the official entrance age to secondary general in China, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population of the official entrance age to secondary general in China is 18.93 million, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 8.1% on the previous year and up 19.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population of the official entrance age to secondary general in China peaked at 28.12 million in 1976 and was at its lowest, 13.45 million, in 1974.
That places China 2nd out of 220 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 56 years of available data.
Population of the official entrance age to secondary general in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 20.66 million | — |
| 1971 | 17.95 million | -13.1% |
| 1972 | 14.57 million | -18.8% |
| 1973 | 14.25 million | -2.2% |
| 1974 | 13.45 million | -5.7% |
| 1975 | 22.40 million | +66.6% |
| 1976 | 28.12 million | +25.5% |
| 1977 | 25.43 million | -9.6% |
| 1978 | 25.61 million | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 25.04 million | -2.2% |
| 1980 | 23.71 million | -5.3% |
| 1981 | 27.48 million | +15.9% |
| 1982 | 27.03 million | -1.7% |
| 1983 | 27.70 million | +2.5% |
| 1984 | 26.30 million | -5.0% |
| 1985 | 25.52 million | -3.0% |
| 1986 | 24.82 million | -2.7% |
| 1987 | 23.13 million | -6.8% |
| 1988 | 20.99 million | -9.2% |
| 1989 | 20.12 million | -4.2% |
| 1990 | 18.67 million | -7.2% |
| 1991 | 18.68 million | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 19.58 million | +4.8% |
| 1993 | 20.12 million | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 20.94 million | +4.0% |
| 1995 | 22.71 million | +8.5% |
| 1996 | 20.25 million | -10.8% |
| 1997 | 21.43 million | +5.8% |
| 1998 | 22.60 million | +5.5% |
| 1999 | 24.40 million | +8.0% |
| 2000 | 25.84 million | +5.9% |
| 2001 | 24.81 million | -4.0% |
| 2002 | 25.57 million | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 26.39 million | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 21.30 million | -19.3% |
| 2005 | 19.84 million | -6.8% |
| 2006 | 19.06 million | -3.9% |
| 2007 | 18.45 million | -3.2% |
| 2008 | 18.00 million | -2.5% |
| 2009 | 17.38 million | -3.4% |
| 2010 | 16.82 million | -3.2% |
| 2011 | 16.40 million | -2.5% |
| 2012 | 16.13 million | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 16.83 million | +4.4% |
| 2014 | 15.94 million | -5.3% |
| 2015 | 15.78 million | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 15.67 million | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 15.94 million | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 16.12 million | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 16.41 million | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 16.77 million | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 17.31 million | +3.2% |
| 2022 | 17.66 million | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 17.57 million | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 17.51 million | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 18.93 million | +8.1% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 18.93 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 115,544, 163.8× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 18.93 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 44,461, 425.7× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population of the official entrance age to secondary general in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | +66.6% | 13.45 million | 22.40 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 20.75 million | 13.45 million | 28.12 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 24.68 million | 20.12 million | 27.70 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.94 million | 18.67 million | 24.40 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 21.66 million | 17.38 million | 26.39 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.21 million | 15.67 million | 16.83 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.63 million | 16.77 million | 18.93 million | 6 |
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 secondary general in China?
- Population of the official entrance age to secondary general in China was 18.93 million in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population of the official entrance age to secondary general recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 28.12 million in 1976.
- What is the lowest population of the official entrance age to secondary general recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.45 million in 1974.
- How does China rank for population of the official entrance age to secondary general?
- China ranks 2nd out of 220 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population of the official entrance age to secondary general rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.9%. 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 secondary general education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release