School age population, early childhood education, female in UNICEF: West and Central Africa
UNICEF: West and Central Africa: School age population, early childhood education, female was 34.53 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
School age population, early childhood education, female in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, 1998–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, early childhood education, female in UNICEF: West and Central Africa is 34.53 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 17 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.9% on the previous year and up 10.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, early childhood education, female in UNICEF: West and Central Africa peaked at 34.53 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 20.44 million, in 1999.
That places UNICEF: West and Central Africa 63rd 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 17 years of available data.
School age population, early childhood education, female in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 23.91 million | — |
| 1999 | 20.44 million | -14.5% |
| 2000 | 21.00 million | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 21.46 million | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 22.05 million | +2.8% |
| 2003 | 22.70 million | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 22.91 million | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 31.16 million | +36.0% |
| 2016 | 31.84 million | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 32.09 million | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 32.61 million | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 33.03 million | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 33.39 million | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 33.67 million | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 33.92 million | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 34.22 million | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 34.53 million | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 22.18 million | 20.44 million | 23.91 million | 2 |
| 2000s | 22.02 million | 21.00 million | 22.91 million | 5 |
| 2010s | 32.15 million | 31.16 million | 33.03 million | 5 |
| 2020s | 33.95 million | 33.39 million | 34.53 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: West and Central Africa
- 60 Syrian Arab Republic 667,943 compare
- 61 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 666,322 compare
- 62 Ukraine 661,243 compare
- 63 Burundi 637,756 compare
- 64 Italy 630,022 compare
- 65 Iran, Islamic Republic of 628,473 compare
- 66 Guinea 622,023 compare
More education data for UNICEF: West and Central Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 4.92 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 20.41 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.9224 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 22.91 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.5411 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 8.34 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 0.9535 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.20 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.46 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.73 % change on previous year (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, early childhood education, female in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- School age population, early childhood education, female in UNICEF: West and Central Africa was 34.53 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, early childhood education, female recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 34.53 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, early childhood education, female recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.44 million in 1999.
- How does UNICEF: West and Central Africa rank for school age population, early childhood education, female?
- UNICEF: West and Central Africa ranks 63rd out of 194 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, early childhood education, female rising or falling in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: West and Central Africa 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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About this data
February 2026 Data Release