Primary education, pupils in Syria
Syria: Primary education, pupils was 2.17 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Primary education, pupils in Syria, 1971–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Analysis
Syria recorded 2.17 million for primary education, pupils in 2024.
The figure is up 40.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary education, pupils in Syria peaked at 2.90 million in 2002 and was at its lowest, 924,969, in 1971.
That places Syria 67th out of 206 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 48 years of available data.
Primary education, pupils in Syria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 924,969 | — |
| 1972 | 1.01 million | +8.7% |
| 1973 | 1.10 million | +9.6% |
| 1974 | 1.16 million | +5.2% |
| 1975 | 1.21 million | +4.4% |
| 1976 | 1.27 million | +5.1% |
| 1977 | 1.32 million | +3.3% |
| 1978 | 1.36 million | +3.1% |
| 1979 | 1.41 million | +3.7% |
| 1980 | 1.48 million | +5.3% |
| 1981 | 1.56 million | +5.0% |
| 1982 | 1.64 million | +5.6% |
| 1983 | 1.72 million | +4.5% |
| 1984 | 1.82 million | +6.2% |
| 1985 | 1.92 million | +5.5% |
| 1986 | 2.03 million | +5.5% |
| 1987 | 2.16 million | +6.3% |
| 1988 | 2.22 million | +2.8% |
| 1989 | 2.30 million | +3.9% |
| 1990 | 2.36 million | +2.3% |
| 1991 | 2.45 million | +4.0% |
| 1992 | 2.54 million | +3.5% |
| 1993 | 2.57 million | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 2.62 million | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 2.65 million | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 2.67 million | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 2.69 million | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 2.70 million | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 2.74 million | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 2.77 million | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 2.84 million | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 2.90 million | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 2.15 million | -26.0% |
| 2004 | 2.19 million | +2.0% |
| 2005 | 2.25 million | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 2.28 million | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 2.31 million | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 2.36 million | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 2.38 million | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 2.43 million | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 2.51 million | +3.2% |
| 2012 | 2.55 million | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 1.55 million | -39.4% |
| 2020 | 2.35 million | +52.1% |
| 2021 | 2.19 million | -7.1% |
| 2022 | 2.17 million | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 2.17 million | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 2.17 million | +0.0% |
Syria compared with similar countries
- Syria's 2.17 million is below the median for low income countries, which is 3.01 million, 72% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Syria's 2.17 million is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.12 million, 1.9× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Primary education, pupils in Syria 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +52.1% | 1.55 million | 2.35 million |
| 2013 | -39.4% | 2.55 million | 1.55 million |
| 2003 | -26.0% | 2.90 million | 2.15 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.20 million | 924,969 | 1.41 million | 9 |
| 1980s | 1.89 million | 1.48 million | 2.30 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.60 million | 2.36 million | 2.74 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.44 million | 2.15 million | 2.90 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.26 million | 1.55 million | 2.55 million | 4 |
| 2020s | 2.21 million | 2.17 million | 2.35 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near Syria
More education data for Syria
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 54,596 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 90,421 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 75,782 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 72,747 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.36 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.17 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.0055 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.088 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary education, pupils in Syria?
- Primary education, pupils in Syria was 2.17 million in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest primary education, pupils recorded in Syria?
- The highest recorded value was 2.90 million in 2002.
- What is the lowest primary education, pupils recorded in Syria?
- The lowest recorded value was 924,969 in 1971.
- How does Syria rank for primary education, pupils?
- Syria ranks 67th out of 206 countries with data for 2024.
- Is primary education, pupils rising or falling in Syria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 40.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Syria 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 — 48 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.