School age population, early childhood education, both sexes in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: School age population, early childhood education, both sexes was 1.26 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
School age population, early childhood education, both sexes in Afghanistan, 1997–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, early childhood education, both sexes in Afghanistan is 1.26 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 29 years on record.
The figure is up 1.8% on the previous year and up 20.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, early childhood education, both sexes in Afghanistan peaked at 1.26 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 598,775, in 1997.
That places Afghanistan 67th out of 207 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 29 years of available data.
School age population, early childhood education, both sexes in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 598,775 | — |
| 1998 | 630,244 | +5.3% |
| 1999 | 664,704 | +5.5% |
| 2000 | 698,346 | +5.1% |
| 2001 | 695,724 | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 717,249 | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 775,067 | +8.1% |
| 2004 | 811,767 | +4.7% |
| 2005 | 828,658 | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 865,436 | +4.4% |
| 2007 | 893,303 | +3.2% |
| 2008 | 888,137 | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 917,809 | +3.3% |
| 2010 | 931,745 | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 942,563 | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 972,025 | +3.1% |
| 2013 | 989,821 | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 1.01 million | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 1.04 million | +3.6% |
| 2016 | 1.06 million | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 1.08 million | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 1.11 million | +2.6% |
| 2019 | 1.13 million | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 1.16 million | +2.5% |
| 2021 | 1.19 million | +2.7% |
| 2022 | 1.20 million | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 1.21 million | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 1.23 million | +2.0% |
| 2025 | 1.26 million | +1.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 631,241 | 598,775 | 664,704 | 3 |
| 2000s | 809,150 | 695,724 | 917,809 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.03 million | 931,745 | 1.13 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.21 million | 1.16 million | 1.26 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More education data for Afghanistan
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 88,020 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 343,942 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 13,837 (2003)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 10,383 (2003)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.43 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.51 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.56 % change on previous year (2019)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1811 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, early childhood education, both sexes in Afghanistan?
- School age population, early childhood education, both sexes in Afghanistan was 1.26 million in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, early childhood education, both sexes recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 1.26 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest school age population, early childhood education, both sexes recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 598,775 in 1997.
- How does Afghanistan rank for school age population, early childhood education, both sexes?
- Afghanistan ranks 67th out of 207 countries with data for 2025.
- Is school age population, early childhood education, both sexes rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, early childhood education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release