School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in Least developed countries
Least developed countries: School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes was 24.33 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising
Latest (2019)
24.33 million number
Change on year
up 1.7%
Rank
20th
of 45 groups
All-time high
24.33 million number
in 2019
All-time low
8.08 million number
in 1970
Years of data
50
1970–2019
School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in Least developed countries, 1970–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in Least developed countries is 24.33 million number, measured in 2019. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 21.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in Least developed countries peaked at 24.33 million number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 8.08 million number, in 1970.
Least developed countries ranks 20th of 45 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in Least developed countries, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 8.08 million number | — |
| 1971 | 8.28 million number | +2.5% |
| 1972 | 8.49 million number | +2.5% |
| 1973 | 8.70 million number | +2.5% |
| 1974 | 8.92 million number | +2.5% |
| 1975 | 9.14 million number | +2.5% |
| 1976 | 9.35 million number | +2.3% |
| 1977 | 9.55 million number | +2.1% |
| 1978 | 9.76 million number | +2.1% |
| 1979 | 9.98 million number | +2.3% |
| 1980 | 10.20 million number | +2.2% |
| 1981 | 10.41 million number | +2.1% |
| 1982 | 10.59 million number | +1.7% |
| 1983 | 10.82 million number | +2.2% |
| 1984 | 11.10 million number | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 11.41 million number | +2.7% |
| 1986 | 11.69 million number | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 11.95 million number | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 12.26 million number | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 12.59 million number | +2.7% |
| 1990 | 12.94 million number | +2.7% |
| 1991 | 13.29 million number | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 13.66 million number | +2.8% |
| 1993 | 14.05 million number | +2.9% |
| 1994 | 14.45 million number | +2.9% |
| 1995 | 14.84 million number | +2.7% |
| 1996 | 15.20 million number | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 15.49 million number | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 15.82 million number | +2.2% |
| 1999 | 16.13 million number | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 16.47 million number | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 16.81 million number | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 17.15 million number | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 17.53 million number | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 17.95 million number | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 18.37 million number | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 18.79 million number | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 19.15 million number | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 19.57 million number | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 20.02 million number | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 20.46 million number | +2.2% |
| 2011 | 20.90 million number | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 21.33 million number | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 21.77 million number | +2.1% |
| 2014 | 22.21 million number | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 22.64 million number | +1.9% |
| 2016 | 23.07 million number | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 23.48 million number | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 23.92 million number | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 24.33 million number | +1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 9.02 million number | 8.08 million number | 9.98 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 11.30 million number | 10.20 million number | 12.59 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 14.59 million number | 12.94 million number | 16.13 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.18 million number | 16.47 million number | 20.02 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.41 million number | 20.46 million number | 24.33 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Least developed countries
- 17 Kenya 1.37 million number compare
- 18 Türkiye 1.36 million number compare
- 19 Iran, Islamic Republic of 1.25 million number compare
- 20 Uganda 1.24 million number compare
- 21 South Africa 1.08 million number compare
- 22 Sudan 1.07 million number compare
- 23 Afghanistan 1.04 million number compare
More education data for Least developed countries
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 4.43 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 75.92 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 171.01 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.04 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 38.4% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 57.7% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1441 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in Least developed countries?
- School age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes in Least developed countries was 24.33 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes recorded in Least developed countries?
- The highest recorded value was 24.33 million number in 2019.
- What is the lowest school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes recorded in Least developed countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.08 million number in 1970.
- How does Least developed countries rank for school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes?
- Least developed countries ranks 20th out of 45 groups with data for 2019.
- Is school age population, last grade of primary education, both sexes rising or falling in Least developed countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Least developed countries 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
Population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to the last grade of primary school as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.