Primary education, pupils in South Asia
South Asia: Primary education, pupils was 49.7% in 2018. ▲ Rising
Primary education, pupils in South Asia, 1970–2018
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % female.
Analysis
In 2018, primary education, pupils in South Asia stood at 49.7%.
The figure is down 0.2% on the previous year and up 5.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary education, pupils in South Asia peaked at 49.9% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 36.2%, in 1970.
South Asia ranks 1st of 41 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 49 years of available data.
Primary education, pupils in South Asia, year by year
| Year | % female | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 36.2% | — |
| 1971 | 36.3% | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 36.6% | +0.7% |
| 1973 | 36.8% | +0.7% |
| 1974 | 36.6% | -0.5% |
| 1975 | 36.8% | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 37.0% | +0.6% |
| 1977 | 37.3% | +0.8% |
| 1978 | 37.2% | -0.1% |
| 1979 | 37.6% | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 37.8% | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 38.2% | +1.2% |
| 1982 | 38.5% | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 38.3% | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 38.7% | +1.0% |
| 1985 | 39.1% | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 39.7% | +1.5% |
| 1987 | 40.0% | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 40.5% | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 40.1% | -1.0% |
| 1990 | 40.6% | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 41.2% | +1.6% |
| 1992 | 41.5% | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 42.3% | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 42.6% | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 42.7% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 42.9% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 43.2% | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 43.3% | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 43.4% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 43.5% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 43.7% | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 44.1% | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 46.2% | +4.9% |
| 2004 | 46.1% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 46.4% | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 46.6% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 46.7% | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 47.3% | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 47.5% | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 47.5% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 47.7% | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 47.8% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 49.2% | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 49.1% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 49.2% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 49.9% | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 49.8% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 49.7% | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 36.8% | 36.2% | 37.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 39.1% | 37.8% | 40.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 42.4% | 40.6% | 43.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 45.8% | 43.5% | 47.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 48.9% | 47.5% | 49.9% | 9 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
More education data for South Asia
- Population ages 15-64 68.1% (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 5.84 million (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 24.6% (2025)
- School enrollment, primary 119.0% (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per capita 0.0035 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, teachers 5.84 million (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female 119.2% (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, male 118.8% (2024)
- Labor force, total 709.68 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary education, pupils in South Asia?
- Primary education, pupils in South Asia was 49.7% in 2018, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest primary education, pupils recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 49.9% in 2016.
- What is the lowest primary education, pupils recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.2% in 1970.
- How does South Asia rank for primary education, pupils?
- South Asia ranks 1st out of 41 groups with data for 2018.
- Is primary education, pupils rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Asia data come from?
- The figures come from Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Primary education, pupils (% female). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Female pupils as a percentage of total pupils at primary level include enrollments in public and private schools.