School age population, lower secondary education, female in WB: Africa Western and Central
WB: Africa Western and Central: School age population, lower secondary education, female was 20.84 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
20.84 million
Change on year
up 1.1%
Rank
98th
of 221 groups
All-time high
20.84 million
in 2024
All-time low
5.70 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, lower secondary education, female in WB: Africa Western and Central, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, school age population, lower secondary education, female in WB: Africa Western and Central stood at 20.84 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 33.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, lower secondary education, female in WB: Africa Western and Central peaked at 20.84 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 5.70 million, in 1970.
That places WB: Africa Western and Central 98th 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, female in WB: Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 5.70 million | — |
| 1971 | 5.86 million | +2.8% |
| 1972 | 6.02 million | +2.8% |
| 1973 | 6.19 million | +2.8% |
| 1974 | 6.39 million | +3.2% |
| 1975 | 6.59 million | +3.1% |
| 1976 | 6.79 million | +3.1% |
| 1977 | 6.99 million | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 7.18 million | +2.6% |
| 1979 | 7.38 million | +2.8% |
| 1980 | 7.59 million | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 7.82 million | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 8.05 million | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 8.30 million | +3.1% |
| 1984 | 8.53 million | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 8.81 million | +3.3% |
| 1986 | 7.34 million | -16.7% |
| 1987 | 7.60 million | +3.6% |
| 1988 | 7.88 million | +3.7% |
| 1989 | 8.16 million | +3.6% |
| 1990 | 8.46 million | +3.6% |
| 1991 | 8.56 million | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 8.85 million | +3.4% |
| 1993 | 9.11 million | +3.0% |
| 1994 | 9.34 million | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 9.60 million | +2.7% |
| 1996 | 9.88 million | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 10.15 million | +2.7% |
| 1998 | 10.40 million | +2.4% |
| 1999 | 10.63 million | +2.2% |
| 2000 | 10.87 million | +2.3% |
| 2001 | 11.13 million | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 11.41 million | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 11.71 million | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 12.00 million | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 12.30 million | +2.5% |
| 2006 | 12.61 million | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 12.93 million | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 13.31 million | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 13.64 million | +2.4% |
| 2010 | 13.99 million | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 14.32 million | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 14.70 million | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 15.14 million | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 15.62 million | +3.2% |
| 2015 | 16.15 million | +3.4% |
| 2016 | 16.66 million | +3.2% |
| 2017 | 17.18 million | +3.1% |
| 2018 | 17.73 million | +3.2% |
| 2019 | 18.31 million | +3.3% |
| 2020 | 18.90 million | +3.2% |
| 2021 | 19.48 million | +3.1% |
| 2022 | 20.05 million | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 20.62 million | +2.8% |
| 2024 | 20.84 million | +1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 6.51 million | 5.70 million | 7.38 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.01 million | 7.34 million | 8.81 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.50 million | 8.46 million | 10.63 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.19 million | 10.87 million | 13.64 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.98 million | 13.99 million | 18.31 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.98 million | 18.90 million | 20.84 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near WB: Africa Western and Central
- 95 Mauritania 253,761 compare
- 96 Chile 251,333 compare
- 97 Israel 246,849 compare
- 98 United Arab Emirates 240,465 compare
- 99 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 238,938 compare
- 100 Oman 236,104 compare
- 101 Czechia 235,462 compare
More education data for WB: Africa Western and Central
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 18.05 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.8839 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.08 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.7294 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 17.31 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.09 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.49 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 6.08 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.06 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 35.36 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, lower secondary education, female in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- School age population, lower secondary education, female in WB: Africa Western and Central was 20.84 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, lower secondary education, female recorded in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 20.84 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, lower secondary education, female recorded in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.70 million in 1970.
- How does WB: Africa Western and Central rank for school age population, lower secondary education, female?
- WB: Africa Western and Central ranks 98th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, lower secondary education, female rising or falling in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this WB: Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, lower secondary education, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release