School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia
SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia: School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes was 26.33 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
26.33 million
Change on year
down 1.0%
Rank
114th
of 221 groups
All-time high
26.73 million
in 2020
All-time low
15.77 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia is 26.33 million, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.0% on the previous year and up 7.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia peaked at 26.73 million in 2020 and was at its lowest, 15.77 million, in 1970.
That places SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia 114th 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, pre-primary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 15.77 million | — |
| 1971 | 15.88 million | +0.7% |
| 1972 | 16.03 million | +1.0% |
| 1973 | 16.19 million | +1.0% |
| 1974 | 16.37 million | +1.1% |
| 1975 | 16.56 million | +1.2% |
| 1976 | 16.83 million | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 17.12 million | +1.7% |
| 1978 | 17.37 million | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 17.63 million | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 17.91 million | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 18.17 million | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 18.41 million | +1.3% |
| 1983 | 18.67 million | +1.4% |
| 1984 | 18.97 million | +1.6% |
| 1985 | 19.28 million | +1.7% |
| 1986 | 19.56 million | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 19.86 million | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 20.18 million | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 20.48 million | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 20.75 million | +1.3% |
| 1991 | 20.83 million | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 20.96 million | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 21.08 million | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 21.23 million | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 21.31 million | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 21.36 million | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 21.37 million | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 21.32 million | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 21.32 million | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 21.31 million | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 21.33 million | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 21.42 million | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 21.51 million | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 21.65 million | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 21.78 million | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 21.30 million | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 21.32 million | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 21.52 million | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 21.88 million | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 22.29 million | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 22.77 million | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 23.38 million | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 23.97 million | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 24.49 million | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 24.91 million | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 25.40 million | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 25.86 million | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 26.30 million | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 26.55 million | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 26.73 million | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 26.64 million | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 26.58 million | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 26.59 million | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 26.33 million | -1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 16.58 million | 15.77 million | 17.63 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.15 million | 17.91 million | 20.48 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 21.15 million | 20.75 million | 21.37 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 21.50 million | 21.30 million | 21.88 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.59 million | 22.29 million | 26.55 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.58 million | 26.33 million | 26.73 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia
More education data for SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 32.09 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 0.2663 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 4.45 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 9.09 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 61.67 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.5703 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 29.58 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.7875 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.19 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 26.40 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia was 26.33 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 26.73 million in 2020.
- What is the lowest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.77 million in 1970.
- How does SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia rank for school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes?
- SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia ranks 114th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia 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.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release