Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Europe & Central Asia

Europe & Central Asia: Primary education, pupils, gaps filled was 52.35 million in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
52.35 million
Change on year
down 0.1%
Rank
35th
of 45 groups
All-time high
62.06 million
in 1971
All-time low
48.60 million
in 2010
Years of data
55
1970–2024

Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Europe & Central Asia, 1970–2024

020.0M40.0M60.0M197019972024

Source: Statizoid (derived).

Analysis

Europe & Central Asia recorded 52.35 million for primary education, pupils, gaps filled in 2024.

That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and up 6.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Europe & Central Asia peaked at 62.06 million in 1971 and was at its lowest, 48.60 million, in 2010.

That places Europe & Central Asia 35th out of 45 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.

Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Europe & Central Asia, year by year

Annual values for Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Europe & Central Asia, 1970 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1970 54.62 million
1971 62.06 million +13.6%
1972 61.51 million -0.9%
1973 60.65 million -1.4%
1974 60.17 million -0.8%
1975 59.36 million -1.3%
1976 58.92 million -0.8%
1977 58.34 million -1.0%
1978 58.09 million -0.4%
1979 58.11 million +0.0%
1980 59.02 million +1.6%
1981 56.73 million -3.9%
1982 58.01 million +2.3%
1983 57.89 million -0.2%
1984 58.15 million +0.4%
1985 58.00 million -0.2%
1986 57.07 million -1.6%
1987 58.24 million +2.0%
1988 58.70 million +0.8%
1989 56.40 million -3.9%
1990 57.11 million +1.3%
1991 56.95 million -0.3%
1992 56.75 million -0.4%
1993 56.78 million +0.1%
1994 56.70 million -0.2%
1995 56.28 million -0.7%
1996 57.62 million +2.4%
1997 57.49 million -0.2%
1998 57.24 million -0.4%
1999 56.25 million -1.7%
2000 54.83 million -2.5%
2001 53.81 million -1.9%
2002 52.91 million -1.7%
2003 51.81 million -2.1%
2004 52.37 million +1.1%
2005 51.09 million -2.4%
2006 50.17 million -1.8%
2007 49.58 million -1.2%
2008 49.17 million -0.8%
2009 48.66 million -1.0%
2010 48.60 million -0.1%
2011 48.74 million +0.3%
2012 48.89 million +0.3%
2013 48.86 million -0.1%
2014 49.14 million +0.6%
2015 49.71 million +1.2%
2016 50.52 million +1.6%
2017 51.36 million +1.7%
2018 52.27 million +1.8%
2019 52.84 million +1.1%
2020 52.10 million -1.4%
2021 52.20 million +0.2%
2022 52.26 million +0.1%
2023 52.38 million +0.2%
2024 52.35 million -0.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 59.18 million 54.62 million 62.06 million 10
1980s 57.82 million 56.40 million 59.02 million 10
1990s 56.91 million 56.25 million 57.62 million 10
2000s 51.44 million 48.66 million 54.83 million 10
2010s 50.09 million 48.60 million 52.84 million 10
2020s 52.26 million 52.10 million 52.38 million 5

Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia

  1. 32 United Kingdom 4.86 million compare
  2. 33 Iraq 4.86 million compare
  3. 34 Cote d'Ivoire 4.82 million compare
  4. 35 Malawi 4.75 million compare
  5. 36 Morocco 4.61 million compare
  6. 37 Argentina 4.58 million compare
  7. 38 Zambia 4.49 million compare

See the full ranking of 251 places →

More education data for Europe & Central Asia

All data for Europe & Central Asia →

Frequently asked questions

What is primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Europe & Central Asia?
Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Europe & Central Asia was 52.35 million in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest primary education, pupils, gaps filled recorded in Europe & Central Asia?
The highest recorded value was 62.06 million in 1971.
What is the lowest primary education, pupils, gaps filled recorded in Europe & Central Asia?
The lowest recorded value was 48.60 million in 2010.
How does Europe & Central Asia rank for primary education, pupils, gaps filled?
Europe & Central Asia ranks 35th out of 45 groups with data for 2024.
Is primary education, pupils, gaps filled rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia?
Over the last ten years it is up 6.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Europe & Central Asia data come from?
The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Primary education, pupils, gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Europe & Central Asia. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/primary-education-pupils-gaps-filled/europe-and-central-asia/

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How this figure is calculated

Primary education, pupils with 569 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.

Computed from

Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.

About this data

Indicator
Primary education, pupils, gaps filled
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
251 places, 11,866 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

Primary education, pupils with 569 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.