School age population, last grade of primary education, female in South Africa

South Africa: School age population, last grade of primary education, female was 534,977 number in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
534,977 number
Change on year
up 2.8%
World rank
21st
of 204 countries
All-time high
534,977 number
in 2020
All-time low
261,307 number
in 1970
Years of data
51
1970–2020

School age population, last grade of primary education, female in South Africa, 1970–2020

0200.0k400.0k600.0k197019952020

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 534,977 number for school age population, last grade of primary education, female in 2020. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.

That represents a change of up 2.8% on the previous year and up 11.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, school age population, last grade of primary education, female in South Africa peaked at 534,977 number in 2020 and was at its lowest, 261,307 number, in 1970.

That places South Africa 21st out of 204 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.

School age population, last grade of primary education, female in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for School age population, last grade of primary education, female (number) in South Africa, 1970 to 2020.
Year number Change
1970 261,307 number
1971 268,042 number +2.6%
1972 275,341 number +2.7%
1973 282,730 number +2.7%
1974 290,361 number +2.7%
1975 297,808 number +2.6%
1976 304,511 number +2.3%
1977 311,343 number +2.2%
1978 318,701 number +2.4%
1979 326,175 number +2.3%
1980 334,116 number +2.4%
1981 343,512 number +2.8%
1982 353,470 number +2.9%
1983 363,422 number +2.8%
1984 373,991 number +2.9%
1985 383,858 number +2.6%
1986 390,834 number +1.8%
1987 397,211 number +1.6%
1988 404,552 number +1.8%
1989 411,754 number +1.8%
1990 421,666 number +2.4%
1991 436,099 number +3.4%
1992 453,930 number +4.1%
1993 470,648 number +3.7%
1994 486,403 number +3.3%
1995 499,575 number +2.7%
1996 511,612 number +2.4%
1997 512,018 number +0.1%
1998 519,213 number +1.4%
1999 525,323 number +1.2%
2000 531,133 number +1.1%
2001 534,165 number +0.6%
2002 531,254 number -0.5%
2003 524,253 number -1.3%
2004 516,970 number -1.4%
2005 508,753 number -1.6%
2006 500,945 number -1.5%
2007 494,181 number -1.4%
2008 488,496 number -1.2%
2009 483,054 number -1.1%
2010 478,199 number -1.0%
2011 474,511 number -0.8%
2012 473,272 number -0.3%
2013 473,982 number +0.2%
2014 475,028 number +0.2%
2015 475,166 number +0.0%
2016 480,283 number +1.1%
2017 491,378 number +2.3%
2018 506,241 number +3.0%
2019 520,395 number +2.8%
2020 534,977 number +2.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 293,632 number 261,307 number 326,175 number 10
1980s 375,672 number 334,116 number 411,754 number 10
1990s 483,649 number 421,666 number 525,323 number 10
2000s 511,320 number 483,054 number 534,165 number 10
2010s 484,846 number 473,272 number 520,395 number 10
2020s 534,977 number 534,977 number 534,977 number 1

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 18 Türkiye 664,942 number compare
  2. 19 Uganda 614,786 number compare
  3. 20 Iran, Islamic Republic of 608,616 number compare
  4. 22 Sudan 526,446 number compare
  5. 23 Afghanistan 511,798 number compare
  6. 24 Myanmar 467,510 number compare

See the full ranking of 249 places →

More education data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is school age population, last grade of primary education, female in South Africa?
School age population, last grade of primary education, female in South Africa was 534,977 number in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest school age population, last grade of primary education, female recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 534,977 number in 2020.
What is the lowest school age population, last grade of primary education, female recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 261,307 number in 1970.
How does South Africa rank for school age population, last grade of primary education, female?
South Africa ranks 21st out of 204 countries with data for 2020.
Is school age population, last grade of primary education, female rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 11.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, last grade of primary education, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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School age population, last grade of primary education, female in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/school-age-population-last-grade-of-primary-education-female-number/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
School age population, last grade of primary education, female (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
249 places, 12,245 data points, 1970–2020
Last refreshed

Female population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to the last grade of primary school as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.