Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in France

France: Primary education, pupils, gaps filled was 4.13 million in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
4.13 million
Change on year
down 1.3%
World rank
41st
of 206 countries
All-time high
4.94 million
in 1971
All-time low
3.78 million
in 2004
Years of data
54
1971–2024

Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in France, 1971–2024

01.0M2.0M3.0M4.0M5.0M197119972024

Source: Statizoid (derived).

Analysis

In 2024, primary education, pupils, gaps filled in France stood at 4.13 million.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 1.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, primary education, pupils, gaps filled in France peaked at 4.94 million in 1971 and was at its lowest, 3.78 million, in 2004.

That places France 41st out of 206 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 54 years of available data.

Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in France, year by year

Annual values for Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in France, 1971 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1971 4.94 million
1972 4.85 million -1.7%
1973 4.76 million -1.9%
1974 4.72 million -0.8%
1975 4.67 million -1.1%
1976 4.60 million -1.5%
1977 4.57 million -0.7%
1978 4.62 million +1.1%
1979 4.65 million +0.6%
1980 4.65 million +0.1%
1981 4.61 million -0.9%
1982 4.54 million -1.6%
1983 4.39 million -3.3%
1984 4.26 million -2.9%
1985 4.13 million -3.1%
1986 4.12 million -0.3%
1987 4.12 million +0.1%
1988 4.15 million +0.8%
1989 4.18 million +0.6%
1990 4.16 million -0.3%
1991 4.15 million -0.3%
1992 4.11 million -0.9%
1993 4.06 million -1.2%
1994 4.08 million +0.4%
1995 4.07 million -0.2%
1996 4.07 million -0.2%
1997 4.00 million -1.5%
1998 3.98 million -0.6%
1999 3.94 million -0.9%
2000 3.88 million -1.5%
2001 3.84 million -1.2%
2002 3.81 million -0.8%
2003 3.79 million -0.4%
2004 3.78 million -0.2%
2005 4.02 million +6.1%
2006 4.05 million +0.9%
2007 4.11 million +1.3%
2008 4.14 million +0.8%
2009 4.15 million +0.3%
2010 4.16 million +0.2%
2011 4.17 million +0.3%
2012 4.16 million -0.4%
2013 4.17 million +0.4%
2014 4.19 million +0.4%
2015 4.26 million +1.6%
2016 4.28 million +0.7%
2017 4.31 million +0.6%
2018 4.30 million -0.2%
2019 4.30 million -0.1%
2020 4.28 million -0.5%
2021 4.26 million -0.5%
2022 4.21 million -1.1%
2023 4.18 million -0.8%
2024 4.13 million -1.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 4.71 million 4.57 million 4.94 million 9
1980s 4.31 million 4.12 million 4.65 million 10
1990s 4.06 million 3.94 million 4.16 million 10
2000s 3.96 million 3.78 million 4.15 million 10
2010s 4.23 million 4.16 million 4.31 million 10
2020s 4.21 million 4.13 million 4.28 million 5

Countries ranked near France

  1. 38 Zambia 4.49 million compare
  2. 39 Thailand 4.45 million compare
  3. 40 Colombia 4.14 million compare
  4. 42 Yemen 3.90 million compare
  5. 43 Peru 3.71 million compare
  6. 44 Nepal 3.57 million compare

See the full ranking of 251 places →

More education data for France

All data for France →

Frequently asked questions

What is primary education, pupils, gaps filled in France?
Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in France was 4.13 million in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest primary education, pupils, gaps filled recorded in France?
The highest recorded value was 4.94 million in 1971.
What is the lowest primary education, pupils, gaps filled recorded in France?
The lowest recorded value was 3.78 million in 2004.
How does France rank for primary education, pupils, gaps filled?
France ranks 41st out of 206 countries with data for 2024.
Is primary education, pupils, gaps filled rising or falling in France?
Over the last ten years it is down 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this France 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 France. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/primary-education-pupils-gaps-filled/france/

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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.