Primary education, pupils in Estonia

Estonia: Primary education, pupils was 89,246 in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
89,246
Change on year
down 1.2%
World rank
159th
of 206 countries
All-time high
153,395
in 1989
All-time low
72,955
in 2010
Years of data
44
1981–2024

Primary education, pupils in Estonia, 1981–2024

050.0k100.0k150.0k1981200220241981: 131.7k1982: 133.7k1983: 134.9k1984: 135.6k1985: 137.0k1986: 138.6k1987: 148.5k1988: 153.2k1989: 153.4k1990: 128.1k1991: 127.4k1992: 126.0k1993: 122.1k1994: 120.7k1995: 121.4k1996: 125.7k1997: 126.8k1998: 127.8k1999: 126.7k2000: 123.4k2001: 117.3k2002: 108.6k2003: 100.2k2004: 92.1k2005: 85.5k2006: 79.6k2007: 76.0k2008: 74.6k2009: 73.6k2010: 73.0k2011: 73.1k2012: 74.2k2013: 75.6k2014: 77.2k2015: 79.6k2016: 82.8k2017: 85.6k2018: 88.1k2019: 89.6k2020: 89.7k2021: 89.0k2022: 87.8k2023: 90.3k2024: 89.2k

Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Analysis

The most recent figure for primary education, pupils in Estonia is 89,246, measured in 2024.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.2% on the previous year and up 15.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, primary education, pupils in Estonia peaked at 153,395 in 1989 and was at its lowest, 72,955, in 2010.

That places Estonia 159th out of 206 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 44 years of available data.

Primary education, pupils in Estonia, year by year

Annual values for Primary education, pupils in Estonia, 1981 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1981 131,705
1982 133,655 +1.5%
1983 134,854 +0.9%
1984 135,649 +0.6%
1985 136,956 +1.0%
1986 138,573 +1.2%
1987 148,545 +7.2%
1988 153,202 +3.1%
1989 153,395 +0.1%
1990 128,132 -16.5%
1991 127,389 -0.6%
1992 126,050 -1.1%
1993 122,111 -3.1%
1994 120,667 -1.2%
1995 121,404 +0.6%
1996 125,718 +3.6%
1997 126,800 +0.9%
1998 127,823 +0.8%
1999 126,671 -0.9%
2000 123,406 -2.6%
2001 117,289 -5.0%
2002 108,637 -7.4%
2003 100,171 -7.8%
2004 92,098 -8.1%
2005 85,539 -7.1%
2006 79,589 -7.0%
2007 76,026 -4.5%
2008 74,629 -1.8%
2009 73,563 -1.4%
2010 72,955 -0.8%
2011 73,054 +0.1%
2012 74,249 +1.6%
2013 75,644 +1.9%
2014 77,215 +2.1%
2015 79,594 +3.1%
2016 82,824 +4.1%
2017 85,617 +3.4%
2018 88,107 +2.9%
2019 89,618 +1.7%
2020 89,702 +0.1%
2021 88,992 -0.8%
2022 87,778 -1.4%
2023 90,300 +2.9%
2024 89,246 -1.2%

Estonia compared with similar countries

  • Estonia's 89,246 is below the median for high income countries, which is 236,668, 38% of the median. (78 countries reporting)
  • Estonia's 89,246 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 432,238, 21% of the median. (53 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 140,726 131,705 153,395 9
1990s 125,276 120,667 128,132 10
2000s 93,095 73,563 123,406 10
2010s 79,888 72,955 89,618 10
2020s 89,204 87,778 90,300 5

Countries ranked near Estonia

  1. 156 Guyana 94,786 compare
  2. 157 Equatorial Guinea 93,396 compare
  3. 158 Bhutan 91,759 compare
  4. 160 Mauritius 84,530 compare
  5. 161 Djibouti 69,705 compare
  6. 162 Cape Verde 61,167 compare

See the full ranking of 251 places →

More education data for Estonia

All data for Estonia →

Frequently asked questions

What is primary education, pupils in Estonia?
Primary education, pupils in Estonia was 89,246 in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest primary education, pupils recorded in Estonia?
The highest recorded value was 153,395 in 1989.
What is the lowest primary education, pupils recorded in Estonia?
The lowest recorded value was 72,955 in 2010.
How does Estonia rank for primary education, pupils?
Estonia ranks 159th out of 206 countries with data for 2024.
Is primary education, pupils rising or falling in Estonia?
Over the last ten years it is up 15.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Estonia 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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Primary education, pupils in Estonia. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/primary-education-pupils/estonia/

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About this data

Indicator
Primary education, pupils
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
251 places, 11,297 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

Primary education pupils is the total number of pupils enrolled at primary level in public and private schools.