School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes (number) in Mali
Mali: School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes (number) was 2.35 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile
School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in Mali, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
Mali recorded 2.35 million for school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in 2025.
The figure is up 1.4% on the previous year and down 7.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in Mali peaked at 2.63 million in 2016 and was at its lowest, 330,323, in 1970.
That places Mali 30th out of 222 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes (number) in Mali, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 330,323 | — |
| 1971 | 337,821 | +2.3% |
| 1972 | 346,212 | +2.5% |
| 1973 | 355,154 | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 364,559 | +2.6% |
| 1975 | 374,253 | +2.7% |
| 1976 | 384,176 | +2.7% |
| 1977 | 395,059 | +2.8% |
| 1978 | 406,786 | +3.0% |
| 1979 | 419,202 | +3.1% |
| 1980 | 432,520 | +3.2% |
| 1981 | 446,722 | +3.3% |
| 1982 | 461,591 | +3.3% |
| 1983 | 476,159 | +3.2% |
| 1984 | 490,770 | +3.1% |
| 1985 | 507,377 | +3.4% |
| 1986 | 524,251 | +3.3% |
| 1987 | 539,227 | +2.9% |
| 1988 | 552,372 | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 563,627 | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 575,182 | +2.1% |
| 1991 | 588,258 | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 603,102 | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 616,351 | +2.2% |
| 1994 | 1.30 million | +110.1% |
| 1995 | 1.32 million | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 1.35 million | +1.9% |
| 1997 | 1.37 million | +2.1% |
| 1998 | 1.41 million | +2.4% |
| 1999 | 1.44 million | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 1.47 million | +2.3% |
| 2001 | 1.51 million | +2.7% |
| 2002 | 1.56 million | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 1.62 million | +4.0% |
| 2004 | 1.68 million | +4.2% |
| 2005 | 1.76 million | +4.2% |
| 2006 | 1.83 million | +4.2% |
| 2007 | 1.90 million | +4.1% |
| 2008 | 1.98 million | +4.2% |
| 2009 | 2.07 million | +4.3% |
| 2010 | 2.15 million | +4.0% |
| 2011 | 2.23 million | +3.8% |
| 2012 | 2.31 million | +3.5% |
| 2013 | 2.39 million | +3.2% |
| 2014 | 2.47 million | +3.4% |
| 2015 | 2.55 million | +3.2% |
| 2016 | 2.63 million | +3.1% |
| 2017 | 2.00 million | -24.1% |
| 2018 | 2.05 million | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 2.09 million | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 2.14 million | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 2.19 million | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 2.25 million | +2.4% |
| 2023 | 2.29 million | +2.1% |
| 2024 | 2.32 million | +1.3% |
| 2025 | 2.35 million | +1.4% |
Mali compared with similar countries
- Mali's 2.35 million is above the median for low income countries, which is 1.82 million, 1.3× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Mali's 2.35 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.14 million, 2.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes (number) in Mali 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | +110.1% | 616,351 | 1.30 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 371,354 | 330,323 | 419,202 | 10 |
| 1980s | 499,462 | 432,520 | 563,627 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.06 million | 575,182 | 1.44 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.74 million | 1.47 million | 2.07 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.29 million | 2.00 million | 2.63 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.26 million | 2.14 million | 2.35 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Mali
More education data for Mali
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 80,395 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 512,692 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 82,198 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 83,509 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.31 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.97 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.42 % change on previous year (2018)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1251 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in Mali?
- School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in Mali was 2.35 million in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in Mali?
- The highest recorded value was 2.63 million in 2016.
- What is the lowest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in Mali?
- The lowest recorded value was 330,323 in 1970.
- How does Mali rank for school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes?
- Mali ranks 30th out of 222 countries with data for 2025.
- Is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes rising or falling in Mali?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Mali 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