School age population, early childhood education, both sexes in ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118)

ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118): School age population, early childhood education, both sexes was 66.10 million in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
66.10 million
Change on year
up 1.3%
Rank
66th
of 194 groups
All-time high
66.10 million
in 2024
All-time low
34.55 million
in 1997
Years of data
28
1997–2024

School age population, early childhood education, both sexes in ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118), 1997–2024

020.0M40.0M60.0M1997201020241997: 34.6M1998: 38.4M1999: 39.5M2000: 40.7M2001: 41.6M2002: 41.6M2003: 42.7M2004: 42.9M2005: 44.1M2006: 45.3M2007: 44.9M2008: 46.1M2009: 47.4M2010: 48.9M2011: 50.3M2012: 51.7M2013: 53.1M2014: 54.2M2015: 55.4M2016: 57.6M2017: 60.0M2018: 61.1M2019: 62.3M2020: 62.1M2021: 63.5M2022: 63.8M2023: 65.3M2024: 66.1M

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

The most recent figure for school age population, early childhood education, both sexes in ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118) is 66.10 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.

That represents a change of up 1.3% on the previous year and up 22.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, school age population, early childhood education, both sexes in ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118) peaked at 66.10 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 34.55 million, in 1997.

That places ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118) 66th out of 194 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.

School age population, early childhood education, both sexes in ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118), year by year

Annual values for School age population, early childhood education, both sexes (number) in ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118), 1997 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1997 34.55 million
1998 38.45 million +11.3%
1999 39.51 million +2.8%
2000 40.66 million +2.9%
2001 41.56 million +2.2%
2002 41.62 million +0.1%
2003 42.71 million +2.6%
2004 42.85 million +0.3%
2005 44.09 million +2.9%
2006 45.32 million +2.8%
2007 44.91 million -0.9%
2008 46.14 million +2.7%
2009 47.44 million +2.8%
2010 48.89 million +3.1%
2011 50.31 million +2.9%
2012 51.66 million +2.7%
2013 53.07 million +2.7%
2014 54.20 million +2.1%
2015 55.41 million +2.2%
2016 57.57 million +3.9%
2017 60.05 million +4.3%
2018 61.14 million +1.8%
2019 62.27 million +1.8%
2020 62.12 million -0.2%
2021 63.47 million +2.2%
2022 63.84 million +0.6%
2023 65.27 million +2.2%
2024 66.10 million +1.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 37.50 million 34.55 million 39.51 million 3
2000s 43.73 million 40.66 million 47.44 million 10
2010s 55.46 million 48.89 million 62.27 million 10
2020s 64.16 million 62.12 million 66.10 million 5

Countries ranked near ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118)

  1. 63 Italy 1.30 million compare
  2. 64 Iran, Islamic Republic of 1.29 million compare
  3. 65 Burundi 1.28 million compare
  4. 66 Guinea 1.26 million compare
  5. 67 Afghanistan 1.26 million compare
  6. 68 Sierra Leone 1.16 million compare
  7. 69 Romania 1.13 million compare

See the full ranking of 401 places →

More education data for ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118)

All data for ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118) →

Frequently asked questions

What is school age population, early childhood education, both sexes in ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118)?
School age population, early childhood education, both sexes in ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118) was 66.10 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest school age population, early childhood education, both sexes recorded in ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118)?
The highest recorded value was 66.10 million in 2024.
What is the lowest school age population, early childhood education, both sexes recorded in ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118)?
The lowest recorded value was 34.55 million in 1997.
How does ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118) rank for school age population, early childhood education, both sexes?
ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118) ranks 66th out of 194 groups with data for 2024.
Is school age population, early childhood education, both sexes rising or falling in ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118)?
Over the last ten years it is up 22.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118) 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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School age population, early childhood education, both sexes in ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118). Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/school-age-population-early-childhood-education-both-sexes-number-2/eca-least-developed-countries-unsdcode-98118/

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About this data

Indicator
School age population, early childhood education, both sexes (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
401 places, 9,808 data points, 1971–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release