Primary education, pupils, per capita in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Primary education, pupils, per capita was 0.071 units per person in 2023. ▼ Falling
Primary education, pupils, per capita in United Kingdom, 1971–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per person.
Analysis
The most recent figure for primary education, pupils, per capita in United Kingdom is 0.071 units per person, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 1.3% on the previous year and down 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary education, pupils, per capita in United Kingdom peaked at 0.1048 units per person in 1972 and was at its lowest, 0.0698 units per person, in 2014.
United Kingdom ranks 141st of 206 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 48 years of available data.
Primary education, pupils, per capita in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | units per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 0.1039 units per person | — |
| 1972 | 0.1048 units per person | +0.9% |
| 1973 | 0.1048 units per person | -0.1% |
| 1974 | 0.1045 units per person | -0.3% |
| 1975 | 0.1034 units per person | -1.1% |
| 1976 | 0.1018 units per person | -1.5% |
| 1977 | 0.1003 units per person | -1.5% |
| 1978 | 0.0978 units per person | -2.5% |
| 1979 | 0.0947 units per person | -3.2% |
| 1980 | 0.0912 units per person | -3.7% |
| 1981 | 0.0872 units per person | -4.4% |
| 1982 | 0.0833 units per person | -4.5% |
| 1983 | 0.0794 units per person | -4.6% |
| 1984 | 0.0774 units per person | -2.5% |
| 1985 | 0.0756 units per person | -2.4% |
| 1986 | 0.0758 units per person | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 0.0761 units per person | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 0.0768 units per person | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 0.0774 units per person | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 0.0784 units per person | +1.3% |
| 1991 | 0.0789 units per person | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 0.0792 units per person | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 0.0798 units per person | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 0.0794 units per person | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 0.0786 units per person | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 0.0777 units per person | -1.1% |
| 2002 | 0.0764 units per person | -1.7% |
| 2003 | 0.0752 units per person | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 0.0781 units per person | +3.8% |
| 2005 | 0.0767 units per person | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 0.0742 units per person | -3.2% |
| 2007 | 0.0719 units per person | -3.2% |
| 2008 | 0.0722 units per person | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 0.0709 units per person | -1.8% |
| 2010 | 0.0705 units per person | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 0.0699 units per person | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 0.071 units per person | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 0.0721 units per person | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 0.0698 units per person | -3.2% |
| 2015 | 0.071 units per person | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 0.072 units per person | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 0.0731 units per person | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 0.0738 units per person | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 0.0738 units per person | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.0735 units per person | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 0.0727 units per person | -1.1% |
| 2022 | 0.0719 units per person | -1.0% |
| 2023 | 0.071 units per person | -1.3% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 0.071 units per person is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.0637 units per person, 1.1× the median. (78 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 0.071 units per person is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.058 units per person, 1.2× the median. (53 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.1018 units per person | 0.0947 units per person | 0.1048 units per person | 9 |
| 1980s | 0.08 units per person | 0.0756 units per person | 0.0912 units per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0791 units per person | 0.0784 units per person | 0.0798 units per person | 5 |
| 2000s | 0.0752 units per person | 0.0709 units per person | 0.0786 units per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0717 units per person | 0.0698 units per person | 0.0738 units per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0723 units per person | 0.071 units per person | 0.0735 units per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More education data for United Kingdom
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 388,714 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2012)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 830,495 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 790,556 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 6.40 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.86 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.0111 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary education, pupils, per capita in United Kingdom?
- Primary education, pupils, per capita in United Kingdom was 0.071 units per person in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest primary education, pupils, per capita recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 0.1048 units per person in 1972.
- What is the lowest primary education, pupils, per capita recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0698 units per person in 2014.
- How does United Kingdom rank for primary education, pupils, per capita?
- United Kingdom ranks 141st out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is primary education, pupils, per capita rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Primary education, pupils, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 48 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Primary education, pupils divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Primary education, pupils ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Primary education, pupils Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
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 divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.