Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in European Union
European Union: Primary education, pupils, gaps filled was 23.26 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in European Union, 1970–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
The most recent figure for primary education, pupils, gaps filled in European Union is 23.26 million, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 2.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary education, pupils, gaps filled in European Union peaked at 32.14 million in 1971 and was at its lowest, 23.03 million, in 2022.
European Union ranks 38th of 45 groups on this measure, 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 European Union, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 26.06 million | — |
| 1971 | 32.14 million | +23.3% |
| 1972 | 32.06 million | -0.3% |
| 1973 | 31.61 million | -1.4% |
| 1974 | 31.60 million | -0.0% |
| 1975 | 31.30 million | -1.0% |
| 1976 | 31.11 million | -0.6% |
| 1977 | 30.85 million | -0.8% |
| 1978 | 30.71 million | -0.4% |
| 1979 | 30.57 million | -0.5% |
| 1980 | 30.38 million | -0.6% |
| 1981 | 30.56 million | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 30.22 million | -1.1% |
| 1983 | 30.02 million | -0.7% |
| 1984 | 29.77 million | -0.8% |
| 1985 | 29.53 million | -0.8% |
| 1986 | 29.51 million | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 29.30 million | -0.7% |
| 1988 | 28.91 million | -1.4% |
| 1989 | 28.10 million | -2.8% |
| 1990 | 27.84 million | -0.9% |
| 1991 | 27.17 million | -2.4% |
| 1992 | 26.79 million | -1.4% |
| 1993 | 26.73 million | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 26.67 million | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 26.54 million | -0.5% |
| 1996 | 26.99 million | +1.7% |
| 1997 | 26.97 million | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 26.94 million | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 26.54 million | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 26.06 million | -1.8% |
| 2001 | 25.55 million | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 25.04 million | -2.0% |
| 2003 | 24.65 million | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 24.30 million | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 24.17 million | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 23.97 million | -0.8% |
| 2007 | 23.93 million | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 23.74 million | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 23.57 million | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 23.43 million | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 23.40 million | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 23.35 million | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 23.78 million | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 23.80 million | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 24.01 million | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 24.17 million | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 24.49 million | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 24.51 million | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 24.47 million | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 23.30 million | -4.8% |
| 2021 | 23.18 million | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 23.03 million | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 23.26 million | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 23.26 million | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 30.80 million | 26.06 million | 32.14 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 29.63 million | 28.10 million | 30.56 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 26.92 million | 26.54 million | 27.84 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.50 million | 23.57 million | 26.06 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.94 million | 23.35 million | 24.51 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.21 million | 23.03 million | 23.30 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near European Union
More education data for European Union
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 1.89 million (2024)
- Population ages 15-64 63.3% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0517 units per person (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 14.2% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- School enrollment, primary 102.4% (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per capita 0.0042 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, teachers 1.89 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary education, pupils, gaps filled in European Union?
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in European Union was 23.26 million in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest primary education, pupils, gaps filled recorded in European Union?
- The highest recorded value was 32.14 million in 1971.
- What is the lowest primary education, pupils, gaps filled recorded in European Union?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.03 million in 2022.
- How does European Union rank for primary education, pupils, gaps filled?
- European Union ranks 38th out of 45 groups with data for 2024.
- Is primary education, pupils, gaps filled rising or falling in European Union?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this European Union 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
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
- Primary education, pupils Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
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
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.