School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in SDG: Eastern Asia
SDG: Eastern Asia: School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes was 20.91 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
20.91 million
Change on year
up 7.3%
Rank
67th
of 221 groups
All-time high
30.68 million
in 1975
All-time low
15.95 million
in 1973
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in SDG: Eastern Asia, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in SDG: Eastern Asia is 20.91 million, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 7.3% on the previous year and up 17.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in SDG: Eastern Asia peaked at 30.68 million in 1975 and was at its lowest, 15.95 million, in 1973.
That places SDG: Eastern Asia 67th out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in SDG: Eastern Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 20.42 million | — |
| 1971 | 17.01 million | -16.7% |
| 1972 | 16.72 million | -1.7% |
| 1973 | 15.95 million | -4.6% |
| 1974 | 24.93 million | +56.3% |
| 1975 | 30.68 million | +23.0% |
| 1976 | 28.01 million | -8.7% |
| 1977 | 28.23 million | +0.8% |
| 1978 | 27.65 million | -2.0% |
| 1979 | 26.32 million | -4.8% |
| 1980 | 30.10 million | +14.4% |
| 1981 | 29.63 million | -1.6% |
| 1982 | 30.32 million | +2.3% |
| 1983 | 28.85 million | -4.8% |
| 1984 | 28.04 million | -2.8% |
| 1985 | 27.32 million | -2.5% |
| 1986 | 25.59 million | -6.3% |
| 1987 | 23.44 million | -8.4% |
| 1988 | 22.56 million | -3.7% |
| 1989 | 21.12 million | -6.4% |
| 1990 | 21.13 million | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 22.05 million | +4.4% |
| 1992 | 22.60 million | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 23.42 million | +3.6% |
| 1994 | 25.20 million | +7.6% |
| 1995 | 22.75 million | -9.8% |
| 1996 | 23.93 million | +5.2% |
| 1997 | 25.10 million | +4.9% |
| 1998 | 26.91 million | +7.2% |
| 1999 | 28.34 million | +5.3% |
| 2000 | 27.32 million | -3.6% |
| 2001 | 28.06 million | +2.7% |
| 2002 | 28.89 million | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 23.79 million | -17.7% |
| 2004 | 22.34 million | -6.1% |
| 2005 | 21.52 million | -3.7% |
| 2006 | 20.92 million | -2.8% |
| 2007 | 20.45 million | -2.2% |
| 2008 | 19.78 million | -3.3% |
| 2009 | 19.19 million | -3.0% |
| 2010 | 18.72 million | -2.4% |
| 2011 | 18.42 million | -1.6% |
| 2012 | 19.09 million | +3.6% |
| 2013 | 18.08 million | -5.3% |
| 2014 | 17.88 million | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 17.73 million | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 17.94 million | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 18.05 million | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 18.38 million | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 18.79 million | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 19.31 million | +2.8% |
| 2021 | 19.63 million | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 19.57 million | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 19.50 million | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 20.91 million | +7.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 23.59 million | 15.95 million | 30.68 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 26.70 million | 21.12 million | 30.32 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 24.14 million | 21.13 million | 28.34 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 23.23 million | 19.19 million | 28.89 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.31 million | 17.73 million | 19.09 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.78 million | 19.31 million | 20.91 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Eastern Asia
More education data for SDG: Eastern Asia
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 63.20 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.91 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 33.69 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.56 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 34.54 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 2.06 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.4947 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 21.53 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 119.59 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.7719 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in SDG: Eastern Asia?
- School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in SDG: Eastern Asia was 20.91 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Eastern Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 30.68 million in 1975.
- What is the lowest school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Eastern Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.95 million in 1973.
- How does SDG: Eastern Asia rank for school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes?
- SDG: Eastern Asia ranks 67th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Eastern Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this SDG: Eastern Asia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release