Primary education, pupils in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)
Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries): Primary education, pupils was 60.53 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Primary education, pupils in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries), 1970–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for primary education, pupils in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) is 60.53 million, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 5.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary education, pupils in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 68.98 million in 1999 and was at its lowest, 42.80 million, in 1971.
That places Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) 32nd out of 43 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Primary education, pupils in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 48.33 million | — |
| 1971 | 42.80 million | -11.4% |
| 1972 | 43.86 million | +2.5% |
| 1973 | 45.27 million | +3.2% |
| 1974 | 46.29 million | +2.3% |
| 1975 | 46.89 million | +1.3% |
| 1976 | 47.57 million | +1.4% |
| 1977 | 49.39 million | +3.8% |
| 1978 | 50.96 million | +3.2% |
| 1979 | 53.48 million | +4.9% |
| 1980 | 54.65 million | +2.2% |
| 1981 | 55.65 million | +1.8% |
| 1982 | 57.52 million | +3.4% |
| 1983 | 57.34 million | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 59.09 million | +3.1% |
| 1985 | 60.00 million | +1.5% |
| 1986 | 58.59 million | -2.4% |
| 1987 | 60.88 million | +3.9% |
| 1988 | 62.45 million | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 61.79 million | -1.1% |
| 1990 | 63.86 million | +3.4% |
| 1991 | 62.73 million | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 63.75 million | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 64.49 million | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 65.45 million | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 62.17 million | -5.0% |
| 1996 | 62.77 million | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 67.96 million | +8.3% |
| 1998 | 63.51 million | -6.6% |
| 1999 | 68.98 million | +8.6% |
| 2000 | 68.73 million | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 68.50 million | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 68.63 million | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 68.11 million | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 68.23 million | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 67.78 million | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 65.19 million | -3.8% |
| 2007 | 67.28 million | +3.2% |
| 2008 | 66.82 million | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 66.68 million | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 66.00 million | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 65.42 million | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 64.66 million | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 64.95 million | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 64.19 million | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 63.41 million | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 62.90 million | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 62.42 million | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 62.23 million | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 62.08 million | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 61.57 million | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 61.17 million | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 61.07 million | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 60.62 million | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 60.53 million | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 47.49 million | 42.80 million | 53.48 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 58.79 million | 54.65 million | 62.45 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 64.57 million | 62.17 million | 68.98 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 67.59 million | 65.19 million | 68.73 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 63.83 million | 62.08 million | 66.00 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 60.99 million | 60.53 million | 61.57 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)
More education data for Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Population ages 0-14 22.3% (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 3.22 million (2024)
- Population ages 15-64 67.7% (2025)
- School enrollment, primary 104.7% (2024)
- Primary education, teachers 3.22 million (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per capita 0.005 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female 104.7% (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, male 104.8% (2024)
- Labor force, female 42.1% (2025)
All data for Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary education, pupils in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Primary education, pupils in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) was 60.53 million in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest primary education, pupils recorded in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 68.98 million in 1999.
- What is the lowest primary education, pupils recorded in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 42.80 million in 1971.
- How does Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for primary education, pupils?
- Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 32nd out of 43 groups with data for 2024.
- Is primary education, pupils rising or falling in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) 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.