School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia
Europe & Central Asia: School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes was 43.58 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling
Latest (2019)
43.58 million number
Change on year
up 1.8%
Rank
26th
of 45 groups
All-time high
55.34 million number
in 1974
All-time low
41.51 million number
in 2012
Years of data
50
1970–2019
School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia, 1970–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia is 43.58 million number, measured in 2019.
That represents a change of up 1.8% on the previous year and down 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia peaked at 55.34 million number in 1974 and was at its lowest, 41.51 million number, in 2012.
That places Europe & Central Asia 26th out of 45 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 50 years of available data.
School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 54.88 million number | — |
| 1971 | 54.70 million number | -0.3% |
| 1972 | 55.08 million number | +0.7% |
| 1973 | 55.28 million number | +0.4% |
| 1974 | 55.34 million number | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 55.25 million number | -0.2% |
| 1976 | 54.97 million number | -0.5% |
| 1977 | 54.51 million number | -0.8% |
| 1978 | 54.48 million number | -0.1% |
| 1979 | 53.22 million number | -2.3% |
| 1980 | 52.55 million number | -1.2% |
| 1981 | 52.00 million number | -1.0% |
| 1982 | 51.62 million number | -0.7% |
| 1983 | 51.39 million number | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 51.27 million number | -0.2% |
| 1985 | 51.17 million number | -0.2% |
| 1986 | 51.03 million number | -0.3% |
| 1987 | 50.89 million number | -0.3% |
| 1988 | 51.29 million number | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 50.67 million number | -1.2% |
| 1990 | 50.57 million number | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 50.93 million number | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 51.11 million number | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 51.28 million number | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 51.58 million number | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 51.93 million number | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 51.67 million number | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 52.05 million number | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 52.30 million number | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 53.58 million number | +2.4% |
| 2000 | 53.61 million number | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 53.23 million number | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 52.98 million number | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 51.71 million number | -2.4% |
| 2004 | 50.96 million number | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 49.37 million number | -3.1% |
| 2006 | 47.81 million number | -3.2% |
| 2007 | 46.48 million number | -2.8% |
| 2008 | 45.29 million number | -2.6% |
| 2009 | 44.19 million number | -2.4% |
| 2010 | 43.17 million number | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 42.22 million number | -2.2% |
| 2012 | 41.51 million number | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 41.92 million number | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 41.78 million number | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 41.72 million number | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 41.70 million number | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 42.19 million number | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 42.80 million number | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 43.58 million number | +1.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 54.77 million number | 53.22 million number | 55.34 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 51.39 million number | 50.67 million number | 52.55 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 51.70 million number | 50.57 million number | 53.58 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 49.56 million number | 44.19 million number | 53.61 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.26 million number | 41.51 million number | 43.58 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia
- 23 Sudan 3.08 million number compare
- 24 Afghanistan 3.01 million number compare
- 25 Algeria 2.81 million number compare
- 26 Uzbekistan 2.73 million number compare
- 27 Kenya 2.69 million number compare
- 28 Iraq 2.62 million number compare
- 29 Madagascar 2.59 million number compare
More education data for Europe & Central Asia
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0564 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 52.35 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.0527 % change on previous year (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 83.79 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 3.52 million (2024)
- Population ages 15-64 64.3% (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 17.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia?
- School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia was 43.58 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in Europe & Central Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 55.34 million number in 1974.
- What is the lowest school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in Europe & Central Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 41.51 million number in 2012.
- How does Europe & Central Asia rank for school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes?
- Europe & Central Asia ranks 26th out of 45 groups with data for 2019.
- Is school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Europe & Central 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
Population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to lower secondary education as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.