School age population, one year before the official primary entry in WB: Africa Western and Central
WB: Africa Western and Central: School age population, one year before the official primary entry was 14.56 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
14.56 million
Change on year
up 0.3%
Rank
93rd
of 221 groups
All-time high
14.56 million
in 2024
All-time low
3.54 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, one year before the official primary entry in WB: Africa Western and Central, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
WB: Africa Western and Central recorded 14.56 million for school age population, one year before the official primary entry in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 16.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, one year before the official primary entry in WB: Africa Western and Central peaked at 14.56 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 3.54 million, in 1970.
That places WB: Africa Western and Central 93rd 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, one year before the official primary entry in WB: Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3.54 million | — |
| 1971 | 3.64 million | +2.7% |
| 1972 | 3.74 million | +2.9% |
| 1973 | 3.85 million | +3.0% |
| 1974 | 3.98 million | +3.3% |
| 1975 | 4.11 million | +3.2% |
| 1976 | 4.23 million | +3.0% |
| 1977 | 4.36 million | +3.1% |
| 1978 | 4.52 million | +3.6% |
| 1979 | 4.69 million | +3.6% |
| 1980 | 4.87 million | +3.8% |
| 1981 | 5.05 million | +3.8% |
| 1982 | 5.21 million | +3.3% |
| 1983 | 5.41 million | +3.8% |
| 1984 | 5.59 million | +3.2% |
| 1985 | 5.76 million | +3.0% |
| 1986 | 5.88 million | +2.2% |
| 1987 | 6.03 million | +2.6% |
| 1988 | 6.22 million | +3.1% |
| 1989 | 6.41 million | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 6.53 million | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 6.66 million | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 6.80 million | +2.2% |
| 1993 | 6.96 million | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 7.12 million | +2.4% |
| 1995 | 7.31 million | +2.6% |
| 1996 | 7.49 million | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 7.67 million | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 7.88 million | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 8.08 million | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 8.28 million | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 8.51 million | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 8.73 million | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 8.96 million | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 9.22 million | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 9.54 million | +3.5% |
| 2006 | 9.91 million | +3.8% |
| 2007 | 10.21 million | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 10.51 million | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 10.81 million | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 11.12 million | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 11.47 million | +3.1% |
| 2012 | 11.81 million | +3.0% |
| 2013 | 12.12 million | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 12.47 million | +2.9% |
| 2015 | 12.80 million | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 13.15 million | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 13.46 million | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 13.69 million | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 13.92 million | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 14.20 million | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 14.36 million | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 14.46 million | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 14.52 million | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 14.56 million | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.07 million | 3.54 million | 4.69 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.64 million | 4.87 million | 6.41 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.25 million | 6.53 million | 8.08 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.47 million | 8.28 million | 10.81 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.60 million | 11.12 million | 13.92 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.42 million | 14.20 million | 14.56 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near WB: Africa Western and Central
- 90 Congo 172,255 compare
- 91 Central African Republic 171,918 compare
- 92 Kyrgyzstan 167,879 compare
- 93 Turkmenistan 164,010 compare
- 94 Lao People's Democratic Republic 159,389 compare
- 95 Mauritania 154,845 compare
- 96 Liberia 150,062 compare
More education data for WB: Africa Western and Central
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 4.61 million (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 7.4 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.89 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.08 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.08 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.7294 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.00 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 6.08 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.09 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 18.05 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, one year before the official primary entry in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- School age population, one year before the official primary entry in WB: Africa Western and Central was 14.56 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, one year before the official primary entry recorded in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 14.56 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, one year before the official primary entry recorded in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.54 million in 1970.
- How does WB: Africa Western and Central rank for school age population, one year before the official primary entry?
- WB: Africa Western and Central ranks 93rd out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, one year before the official primary entry rising or falling in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.7%. 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, one year before the official primary entry age, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release