Primary education, pupils in Cambodia
Cambodia: Primary education, pupils was 2.27 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Primary education, pupils in Cambodia, 1971–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for primary education, pupils in Cambodia is 2.27 million, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.1% on the previous year and up 9.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary education, pupils in Cambodia peaked at 2.77 million in 2003 and was at its lowest, 337,729, in 1971.
Cambodia ranks 66th of 206 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 44 years of available data.
Primary education, pupils in Cambodia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 337,729 | — |
| 1972 | 484,088 | +43.3% |
| 1973 | 479,616 | -0.9% |
| 1981 | 1.33 million | +176.9% |
| 1982 | 1.54 million | +15.9% |
| 1983 | 1.60 million | +3.8% |
| 1984 | 1.50 million | -5.8% |
| 1985 | 1.37 million | -9.2% |
| 1986 | 1.32 million | -3.8% |
| 1987 | 1.29 million | -1.6% |
| 1988 | 1.28 million | -1.2% |
| 1989 | 1.31 million | +2.7% |
| 1990 | 1.28 million | -2.8% |
| 1991 | 1.33 million | +4.1% |
| 1994 | 1.62 million | +22.0% |
| 1995 | 1.70 million | +5.0% |
| 1997 | 1.92 million | +12.7% |
| 1998 | 2.01 million | +4.8% |
| 1999 | 2.13 million | +5.7% |
| 2000 | 2.25 million | +5.7% |
| 2001 | 2.43 million | +8.1% |
| 2002 | 2.73 million | +12.2% |
| 2003 | 2.77 million | +1.6% |
| 2004 | 2.76 million | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 2.70 million | -2.4% |
| 2006 | 2.58 million | -4.2% |
| 2007 | 2.48 million | -4.0% |
| 2008 | 2.34 million | -5.6% |
| 2009 | 2.29 million | -2.2% |
| 2010 | 2.27 million | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 2.19 million | -3.6% |
| 2012 | 2.14 million | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 2.17 million | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 2.07 million | -4.6% |
| 2015 | 2.01 million | -3.0% |
| 2016 | 2.01 million | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 2.02 million | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 2.03 million | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 2.04 million | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 2.17 million | +6.1% |
| 2021 | 2.13 million | -1.5% |
| 2022 | 2.16 million | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 2.20 million | +1.5% |
| 2024 | 2.27 million | +3.1% |
Cambodia compared with similar countries
- Cambodia's 2.27 million is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.66 million, 1.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Cambodia's 2.27 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 227,656, 10.0× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Primary education, pupils in Cambodia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | +176.9% | 479,616 | 1.33 million |
| 1972 | +43.3% | 337,729 | 484,088 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 433,811 | 337,729 | 484,088 | 3 |
| 1980s | 1.39 million | 1.28 million | 1.60 million | 9 |
| 1990s | 1.71 million | 1.28 million | 2.13 million | 7 |
| 2000s | 2.53 million | 2.25 million | 2.77 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.10 million | 2.01 million | 2.27 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.19 million | 2.13 million | 2.27 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near Cambodia
More education data for Cambodia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 107,312 (2021)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 124,310 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 199,569 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 201,390 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.17 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.27 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.07 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1285 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary education, pupils in Cambodia?
- Primary education, pupils in Cambodia was 2.27 million in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest primary education, pupils recorded in Cambodia?
- The highest recorded value was 2.77 million in 2003.
- What is the lowest primary education, pupils recorded in Cambodia?
- The lowest recorded value was 337,729 in 1971.
- How does Cambodia rank for primary education, pupils?
- Cambodia ranks 66th out of 206 countries with data for 2024.
- Is primary education, pupils rising or falling in Cambodia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Cambodia data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Primary education, pupils. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Primary education pupils is the total number of pupils enrolled at primary level in public and private schools.