Primary education, pupils in China
China: Primary education, pupils was 108.57 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
108.57 million
Change on year
up 1.0%
World rank
2nd
of 206 countries
All-time high
150.94 million
in 1976
All-time low
93.86 million
in 2014
Years of data
49
1970–2024
Primary education, pupils in China, 1970–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for primary education, pupils in China is 108.57 million, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 15.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary education, pupils in China peaked at 150.94 million in 1976 and was at its lowest, 93.86 million, in 2014.
China ranks 2nd of 206 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 49 years of available data.
Primary education, pupils in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 100.67 million | — |
| 1971 | 105.28 million | +4.6% |
| 1972 | 112.11 million | +6.5% |
| 1973 | 125.49 million | +11.9% |
| 1974 | 135.70 million | +8.1% |
| 1975 | 144.81 million | +6.7% |
| 1976 | 150.94 million | +4.2% |
| 1977 | 150.06 million | -0.6% |
| 1978 | 146.18 million | -2.6% |
| 1979 | 146.24 million | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 146.63 million | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 146.27 million | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 143.33 million | -2.0% |
| 1983 | 139.72 million | -2.5% |
| 1984 | 135.78 million | -2.8% |
| 1985 | 135.57 million | -0.2% |
| 1986 | 133.70 million | -1.4% |
| 1987 | 131.82 million | -1.4% |
| 1988 | 128.36 million | -2.6% |
| 1989 | 125.36 million | -2.3% |
| 1990 | 123.73 million | -1.3% |
| 1991 | 122.41 million | -1.1% |
| 1992 | 121.64 million | -0.6% |
| 1993 | 122.01 million | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 124.21 million | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 128.23 million | +3.2% |
| 1996 | 131.95 million | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 136.15 million | +3.2% |
| 1998 | 139.95 million | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 130.13 million | -7.0% |
| 2006 | 108.92 million | -16.3% |
| 2007 | 107.39 million | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 105.95 million | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 103.62 million | -2.2% |
| 2010 | 101.02 million | -2.5% |
| 2011 | 99.71 million | -1.3% |
| 2012 | 99.54 million | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 97.23 million | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 93.86 million | -3.5% |
| 2015 | 94.79 million | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 97.24 million | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 99.49 million | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 101.12 million | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 103.59 million | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 105.83 million | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 107.47 million | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 108.02 million | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 107.54 million | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 108.57 million | +1.0% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 108.57 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 519,452, 209.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 108.57 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 227,656, 476.9× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 131.75 million | 100.67 million | 150.94 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 136.65 million | 125.36 million | 146.63 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 127.81 million | 121.64 million | 139.95 million | 9 |
| 2000s | 111.20 million | 103.62 million | 130.13 million | 5 |
| 2010s | 98.76 million | 93.86 million | 103.59 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 107.48 million | 105.83 million | 108.57 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More education data for China
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.41 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 7,020 (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 21.58 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 19.36 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 97.98 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 108.57 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9587 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0771 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary education, pupils in China?
- Primary education, pupils in China was 108.57 million in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest primary education, pupils recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 150.94 million in 1976.
- What is the lowest primary education, pupils recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 93.86 million in 2014.
- How does China rank for primary education, pupils?
- China ranks 2nd out of 206 countries with data for 2024.
- Is primary education, pupils rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 49 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Primary education pupils is the total number of pupils enrolled at primary level in public and private schools.