School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia
SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia: School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes was 36.11 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
36.11 million
Change on year
up 1.1%
Rank
109th
of 221 groups
All-time high
36.11 million
in 2024
All-time low
16.80 million
in 1971
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia stood at 36.11 million. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 25.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia peaked at 36.11 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 16.80 million, in 1971.
That places SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia 109th out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 16.95 million | — |
| 1971 | 16.80 million | -0.9% |
| 1972 | 17.36 million | +3.4% |
| 1973 | 17.65 million | +1.7% |
| 1974 | 17.99 million | +1.9% |
| 1975 | 18.35 million | +2.0% |
| 1976 | 18.65 million | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 18.91 million | +1.4% |
| 1978 | 19.16 million | +1.3% |
| 1979 | 19.41 million | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 19.66 million | +1.3% |
| 1981 | 19.93 million | +1.4% |
| 1982 | 20.21 million | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 20.50 million | +1.4% |
| 1984 | 20.82 million | +1.6% |
| 1985 | 21.18 million | +1.7% |
| 1986 | 21.51 million | +1.6% |
| 1987 | 21.88 million | +1.7% |
| 1988 | 22.25 million | +1.7% |
| 1989 | 22.05 million | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 22.54 million | +2.3% |
| 1991 | 22.14 million | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 22.56 million | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 22.99 million | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 23.36 million | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 23.78 million | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 24.20 million | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 24.59 million | +1.6% |
| 1998 | 24.99 million | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 25.28 million | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 25.52 million | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 25.64 million | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 25.82 million | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 26.92 million | +4.3% |
| 2004 | 26.93 million | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 27.07 million | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 27.13 million | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 27.82 million | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 27.81 million | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 27.76 million | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 27.82 million | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 27.99 million | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 28.17 million | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 29.60 million | +5.1% |
| 2014 | 28.75 million | -2.9% |
| 2015 | 28.94 million | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 29.27 million | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 29.81 million | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 30.49 million | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 31.23 million | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 33.34 million | +6.8% |
| 2021 | 34.17 million | +2.5% |
| 2022 | 34.97 million | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 35.72 million | +2.2% |
| 2024 | 36.11 million | +1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 18.12 million | 16.80 million | 19.41 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 21.00 million | 19.66 million | 22.25 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 23.64 million | 22.14 million | 25.28 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.84 million | 25.52 million | 27.82 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.21 million | 27.82 million | 31.23 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 34.86 million | 33.34 million | 36.11 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia
More education data for SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 32.09 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 0.2663 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 4.45 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 9.09 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 61.67 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.5703 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 29.58 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.7875 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.19 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 26.40 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia was 36.11 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 36.11 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.80 million in 1971.
- How does SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia rank for school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes?
- SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia ranks 109th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release