School age population, early childhood education, female in China
China: School age population, early childhood education, female was 17.25 million in 2025. ▼ Falling
School age population, early childhood education, female in China, 1997–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, early childhood education, female in China is 17.25 million, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 29 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 11.3% on the previous year and down 29.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, early childhood education, female in China peaked at 41.12 million in 1997 and was at its lowest, 17.25 million, in 2025.
China ranks 2nd of 207 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 29 years of available data.
School age population, early childhood education, female in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 41.12 million | — |
| 1998 | 27.11 million | -34.1% |
| 1999 | 26.16 million | -3.5% |
| 2000 | 25.29 million | -3.3% |
| 2001 | 24.46 million | -3.3% |
| 2002 | 23.66 million | -3.3% |
| 2003 | 23.02 million | -2.7% |
| 2004 | 22.97 million | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 22.71 million | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 22.52 million | -0.8% |
| 2007 | 21.95 million | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 21.92 million | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 22.06 million | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 22.39 million | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 22.77 million | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 23.32 million | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 23.91 million | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 24.29 million | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 24.40 million | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 25.01 million | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 25.25 million | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 25.76 million | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 25.04 million | -2.8% |
| 2020 | 25.13 million | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 25.00 million | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 24.06 million | -3.8% |
| 2023 | 22.37 million | -7.0% |
| 2024 | 19.44 million | -13.1% |
| 2025 | 17.25 million | -11.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 31.46 million | 26.16 million | 41.12 million | 3 |
| 2000s | 23.06 million | 21.92 million | 25.29 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.21 million | 22.39 million | 25.76 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.21 million | 17.25 million | 25.13 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
More education data for China
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 51.02 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.31 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), per capita 0.0362 units per person (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 57.54 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.6464 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), per capita 0.0408 units per person (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 97.98 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.73 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 6.74 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.2971 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, early childhood education, female in China?
- School age population, early childhood education, female in China was 17.25 million in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, early childhood education, female recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 41.12 million in 1997.
- What is the lowest school age population, early childhood education, female recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.25 million in 2025.
- How does China rank for school age population, early childhood education, female?
- China ranks 2nd out of 207 countries with data for 2025.
- Is school age population, early childhood education, female rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 29.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, early childhood education, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 29 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release