School age population, early childhood education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa
UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa: School age population, early childhood education, both sexes was 27.78 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
School age population, early childhood education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa, 1998–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa recorded 27.78 million for school age population, early childhood education, both sexes in 2024.
That represents a change of down 1.3% on the previous year and up 8.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, early childhood education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa peaked at 28.42 million in 2020 and was at its lowest, 22.51 million, in 2001.
That places UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa 123rd 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 26 years of available data.
School age population, early childhood education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 22.91 million | — |
| 1999 | 22.78 million | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 22.61 million | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 22.51 million | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 22.52 million | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 22.58 million | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 22.73 million | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 22.92 million | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 22.56 million | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 22.72 million | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 22.90 million | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 23.15 million | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 23.47 million | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 23.89 million | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 24.94 million | +4.4% |
| 2014 | 25.57 million | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 26.14 million | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 26.72 million | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 27.32 million | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 27.79 million | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 28.11 million | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 28.42 million | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 28.41 million | -0.0% |
| 2022 | 28.16 million | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 28.14 million | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 27.78 million | -1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 22.85 million | 22.78 million | 22.91 million | 2 |
| 2000s | 22.72 million | 22.51 million | 23.15 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.00 million | 23.47 million | 28.11 million | 9 |
| 2020s | 28.18 million | 27.78 million | 28.42 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa
More education data for UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 6.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 21.65 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.17 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 23.21 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.71 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 6.49 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -0.5257 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 17.53 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 8.61 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 6.11 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, early childhood education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa?
- School age population, early childhood education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa was 27.78 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, early childhood education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 28.42 million in 2020.
- What is the lowest school age population, early childhood education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.51 million in 2001.
- How does UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa rank for school age population, early childhood education, both sexes?
- UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa ranks 123rd out of 194 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, early childhood education, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa 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