School-age population (lower secondary level) in Turkey
Turkey: School-age population (lower secondary level) was 5.41 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
School-age population in Turkey, 1970–2025
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
Turkey recorded 5.41 million for school-age population in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 9.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school-age population in Turkey peaked at 5.41 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 2.64 million, in 1970.
That places Turkey 3rd out of 72 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
School-age population (lower secondary level) in Turkey, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2.64 million | — |
| 1971 | 2.72 million | +2.7% |
| 1972 | 2.78 million | +2.4% |
| 1973 | 2.87 million | +3.1% |
| 1974 | 2.98 million | +3.8% |
| 1975 | 3.10 million | +3.9% |
| 1976 | 3.18 million | +2.7% |
| 1977 | 3.19 million | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 3.19 million | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 3.20 million | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 3.24 million | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 3.31 million | +2.1% |
| 1982 | 3.38 million | +2.1% |
| 1983 | 3.45 million | +2.2% |
| 1984 | 3.52 million | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 3.58 million | +1.7% |
| 1986 | 3.63 million | +1.2% |
| 1987 | 3.65 million | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 3.68 million | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 3.73 million | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 3.81 million | +2.1% |
| 1991 | 3.89 million | +2.2% |
| 1992 | 3.96 million | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 4.01 million | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 4.02 million | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 4.04 million | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 4.03 million | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 4.02 million | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 4.00 million | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 3.97 million | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 3.73 million | -6.1% |
| 2001 | 3.72 million | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 3.73 million | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 3.73 million | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 3.73 million | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 3.74 million | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 3.76 million | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 3.78 million | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 3.83 million | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 3.85 million | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 3.91 million | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 3.98 million | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 3.99 million | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 5.17 million | +29.7% |
| 2014 | 5.04 million | -2.6% |
| 2015 | 4.93 million | -2.1% |
| 2016 | 4.86 million | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 4.91 million | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 5.01 million | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 5.12 million | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 5.16 million | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 5.15 million | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 5.13 million | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 5.34 million | +4.1% |
| 2024 | 5.38 million | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 5.41 million | +0.4% |
Turkey compared with similar countries
- Turkey's 5.41 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 571,955, 9.5× the median. (19 countries reporting)
- Turkey's 5.41 million is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 275,891, 19.6× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where School-age population (lower secondary level) in Turkey changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | +29.7% | 3.99 million | 5.17 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.99 million | 2.64 million | 3.20 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.52 million | 3.24 million | 3.73 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.98 million | 3.81 million | 4.04 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.76 million | 3.72 million | 3.85 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.69 million | 3.91 million | 5.17 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.26 million | 5.13 million | 5.41 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Turkey
More education data for Turkey
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 99.5 (2017)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 99.4 (2023)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 788,294 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 184,302 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.05 million (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 980,973 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 12.31 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.54 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.87 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school-age population in Turkey?
- School-age population in Turkey was 5.41 million in 2025, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest school-age population recorded in Turkey?
- The highest recorded value was 5.41 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest school-age population recorded in Turkey?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.64 million in 1970.
- How does Turkey rank for school-age population?
- Turkey ranks 3rd out of 72 countries with data for 2025.
- Is school-age population rising or falling in Turkey?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Turkey data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of School-age population (lower secondary level). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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