Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Zambia
Zambia: Primary education, pupils, gaps filled was 4.49 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Zambia, 1970–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
The most recent figure for primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Zambia is 4.49 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 49 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 39.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Zambia peaked at 4.49 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 694,670, in 1970.
Zambia ranks 38th of 206 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 49 years of available data.
Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Zambia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 694,670 | — |
| 1971 | 729,801 | +5.1% |
| 1972 | 777,873 | +6.6% |
| 1973 | 810,234 | +4.2% |
| 1974 | 858,191 | +5.9% |
| 1975 | 872,392 | +1.7% |
| 1976 | 907,867 | +4.1% |
| 1977 | 936,817 | +3.2% |
| 1978 | 964,475 | +3.0% |
| 1979 | 996,597 | +3.3% |
| 1980 | 1.04 million | +4.5% |
| 1981 | 1.07 million | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 1.12 million | +4.5% |
| 1983 | 1.20 million | +6.6% |
| 1984 | 1.27 million | +6.0% |
| 1985 | 1.35 million | +6.4% |
| 1986 | 1.38 million | +2.2% |
| 1987 | 1.39 million | +1.0% |
| 1988 | 1.43 million | +2.5% |
| 1989 | 1.45 million | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 1.46 million | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 1.51 million | +3.4% |
| 1992 | 1.51 million | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 1.51 million | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 1.51 million | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 1.51 million | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 1.52 million | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 1.54 million | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 1.56 million | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 1.56 million | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 1.59 million | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 1.63 million | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 1.73 million | +6.5% |
| 2003 | 1.99 million | +15.0% |
| 2004 | 2.25 million | +13.1% |
| 2005 | 2.57 million | +14.3% |
| 2006 | 2.68 million | +4.1% |
| 2007 | 2.79 million | +4.2% |
| 2008 | 2.91 million | +4.3% |
| 2009 | 2.84 million | -2.4% |
| 2010 | 2.90 million | +2.1% |
| 2011 | 3.03 million | +4.5% |
| 2012 | 3.14 million | +3.5% |
| 2013 | 3.08 million | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 3.22 million | +4.6% |
| 2015 | 3.22 million | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 3.20 million | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 3.28 million | +2.5% |
| 2024 | 4.49 million | +36.7% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 4.49 million is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.66 million, 2.7× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 4.49 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.40 million, 1.9× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Zambia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | +36.7% | 3.28 million | 4.49 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 854,892 | 694,670 | 996,597 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.27 million | 1.04 million | 1.45 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.52 million | 1.46 million | 1.56 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.30 million | 1.59 million | 2.91 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.13 million | 2.90 million | 3.28 million | 8 |
| 2020s | 4.49 million | 4.49 million | 4.49 million | 1 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More education data for Zambia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 42,585 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 169,961 (2013)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.39 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.55 % change on previous year (2017)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2106 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.49 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 2.55 % change on previous year (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Zambia?
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Zambia was 4.49 million in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest primary education, pupils, gaps filled recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 4.49 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest primary education, pupils, gaps filled recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 694,670 in 1970.
- How does Zambia rank for primary education, pupils, gaps filled?
- Zambia ranks 38th out of 206 countries with data for 2024.
- Is primary education, pupils, gaps filled rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 39.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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 — 49 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.