School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes (number) in China
China: School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes (number) was 36.57 million in 2025. ▼ Falling
School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in China, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2025, school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in China stood at 36.57 million. That is the lowest value across all 56 years on record.
The figure is down 11.7% on the previous year and down 30.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in China peaked at 110.50 million in 1975 and was at its lowest, 36.57 million, in 2025.
That places China 2nd out of 222 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 56 years of available data.
School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes (number) in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 106.77 million | — |
| 1971 | 102.13 million | -4.3% |
| 1972 | 104.12 million | +1.9% |
| 1973 | 105.44 million | +1.3% |
| 1974 | 108.01 million | +2.4% |
| 1975 | 110.50 million | +2.3% |
| 1976 | 108.38 million | -1.9% |
| 1977 | 106.02 million | -2.2% |
| 1978 | 101.28 million | -4.5% |
| 1979 | 95.80 million | -5.4% |
| 1980 | 90.26 million | -5.8% |
| 1981 | 83.97 million | -7.0% |
| 1982 | 79.42 million | -5.4% |
| 1983 | 77.95 million | -1.8% |
| 1984 | 77.93 million | -0.0% |
| 1985 | 80.19 million | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 84.25 million | +5.1% |
| 1987 | 84.90 million | +0.8% |
| 1988 | 86.19 million | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 87.85 million | +1.9% |
| 1990 | 89.54 million | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 95.16 million | +6.3% |
| 1992 | 98.53 million | +3.5% |
| 1993 | 101.51 million | +3.0% |
| 1994 | 103.50 million | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 98.88 million | -4.5% |
| 1996 | 93.85 million | -5.1% |
| 1997 | 87.27 million | -7.0% |
| 1998 | 57.85 million | -33.7% |
| 1999 | 55.99 million | -3.2% |
| 2000 | 54.29 million | -3.0% |
| 2001 | 52.64 million | -3.0% |
| 2002 | 51.02 million | -3.1% |
| 2003 | 49.73 million | -2.5% |
| 2004 | 49.72 million | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 49.23 million | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 48.87 million | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 47.68 million | -2.4% |
| 2008 | 47.65 million | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 47.96 million | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 48.69 million | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 49.51 million | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 50.69 million | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 51.94 million | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 52.74 million | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 52.92 million | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 54.17 million | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 54.61 million | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 55.59 million | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 53.93 million | -3.0% |
| 2020 | 54.00 million | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 53.55 million | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 51.44 million | -3.9% |
| 2023 | 47.77 million | -7.1% |
| 2024 | 41.42 million | -13.3% |
| 2025 | 36.57 million | -11.7% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 36.57 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 272,347, 134.3× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 36.57 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 110,178, 331.9× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes (number) in China 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | -33.7% | 87.27 million | 57.85 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 104.84 million | 95.80 million | 110.50 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 83.29 million | 77.93 million | 90.26 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 88.21 million | 55.99 million | 103.50 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 49.88 million | 47.65 million | 54.29 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 52.48 million | 48.69 million | 55.59 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.46 million | 36.57 million | 54.00 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
- 1 India 66.02 million compare
- 3 Pakistan 12.58 million compare
- 4 Democratic Republic of Congo 11.24 million compare
- 5 United States 11.22 million compare
More education data for China
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.41 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 7,020 (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 21.58 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 19.36 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 97.98 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 108.57 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9587 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0771 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in China?
- School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in China was 36.57 million in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 110.50 million in 1975.
- What is the lowest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.57 million in 2025.
- How does China rank for school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes?
- China ranks 2nd out of 222 countries with data for 2025.
- Is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release