Primary education, pupils in Spain
Spain: Primary education, pupils was 2.83 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
2.83 million
Change on year
down 1.1%
World rank
56th
of 206 countries
All-time high
3.72 million
in 1972
All-time low
2.36 million
in 1995
Years of data
54
1971–2024
Primary education, pupils in Spain, 1971–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for primary education, pupils in Spain is 2.83 million, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 4.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary education, pupils in Spain peaked at 3.72 million in 1972 and was at its lowest, 2.36 million, in 1995.
That places Spain 56th out of 206 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 54 years of available data.
Primary education, pupils in Spain, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 3.56 million | — |
| 1972 | 3.72 million | +4.5% |
| 1973 | 3.59 million | -3.5% |
| 1974 | 3.67 million | +2.2% |
| 1975 | 3.69 million | +0.7% |
| 1976 | 3.65 million | -1.1% |
| 1977 | 3.62 million | -0.8% |
| 1978 | 3.60 million | -0.6% |
| 1979 | 3.61 million | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 3.61 million | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 3.61 million | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 3.63 million | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 3.63 million | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 3.61 million | -0.7% |
| 1985 | 3.57 million | -1.1% |
| 1986 | 3.48 million | -2.4% |
| 1987 | 3.41 million | -2.0% |
| 1988 | 3.25 million | -4.9% |
| 1989 | 3.12 million | -4.0% |
| 1990 | 2.96 million | -5.0% |
| 1991 | 2.82 million | -4.8% |
| 1992 | 2.66 million | -5.6% |
| 1993 | 2.58 million | -3.0% |
| 1994 | 2.47 million | -4.3% |
| 1995 | 2.36 million | -4.3% |
| 1996 | 2.80 million | +18.4% |
| 1997 | 2.70 million | -3.5% |
| 1998 | 2.63 million | -2.5% |
| 1999 | 2.58 million | -2.0% |
| 2000 | 2.54 million | -1.5% |
| 2001 | 2.51 million | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 2.49 million | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 2.49 million | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 2.50 million | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 2.48 million | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 2.50 million | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 2.56 million | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 2.63 million | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 2.68 million | +2.2% |
| 2010 | 2.72 million | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 2.77 million | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 2.82 million | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 2.93 million | +4.2% |
| 2014 | 2.96 million | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 3.01 million | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 3.03 million | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 3.04 million | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 3.04 million | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 3.04 million | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 3.01 million | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 2.93 million | -2.7% |
| 2022 | 2.87 million | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 2.86 million | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 2.83 million | -1.1% |
Spain compared with similar countries
- Spain's 2.83 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 236,668, 12.0× the median. (78 countries reporting)
- Spain's 2.83 million is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 432,238, 6.6× the median. (53 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.63 million | 3.56 million | 3.72 million | 9 |
| 1980s | 3.49 million | 3.12 million | 3.63 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.66 million | 2.36 million | 2.96 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.54 million | 2.48 million | 2.68 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.94 million | 2.72 million | 3.04 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.90 million | 2.83 million | 3.01 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near Spain
More education data for Spain
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 344,203 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 37,817 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 570,954 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 538,977 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.71 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.83 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.08 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.058 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary education, pupils in Spain?
- Primary education, pupils in Spain was 2.83 million in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest primary education, pupils recorded in Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 3.72 million in 1972.
- What is the lowest primary education, pupils recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.36 million in 1995.
- How does Spain rank for primary education, pupils?
- Spain ranks 56th out of 206 countries with data for 2024.
- Is primary education, pupils rising or falling in Spain?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Spain 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.