School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries
UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries: School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes was 22.62 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
22.62 million
Change on year
down 1.5%
Rank
130th
of 221 groups
All-time high
23.01 million
in 2021
All-time low
11.40 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries recorded 22.62 million for school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in 2024.
The figure is down 1.5% on the previous year and up 8.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries peaked at 23.01 million in 2021 and was at its lowest, 11.40 million, in 1970.
UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries ranks 130th of 221 groups on this measure, 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 UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 11.40 million | — |
| 1971 | 11.56 million | +1.4% |
| 1972 | 11.76 million | +1.7% |
| 1973 | 11.97 million | +1.8% |
| 1974 | 12.18 million | +1.8% |
| 1975 | 12.41 million | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 12.70 million | +2.3% |
| 1977 | 13.00 million | +2.4% |
| 1978 | 13.24 million | +1.9% |
| 1979 | 13.52 million | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 13.82 million | +2.3% |
| 1981 | 14.13 million | +2.3% |
| 1982 | 14.46 million | +2.3% |
| 1983 | 14.80 million | +2.3% |
| 1984 | 15.19 million | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 15.60 million | +2.7% |
| 1986 | 15.96 million | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 16.31 million | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 16.76 million | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 17.11 million | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 17.41 million | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 17.51 million | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 17.64 million | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 17.76 million | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 17.88 million | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 17.93 million | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 17.97 million | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 17.95 million | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 17.83 million | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 17.73 million | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 17.57 million | -0.9% |
| 2001 | 17.50 million | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 17.52 million | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 17.60 million | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 17.77 million | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 18.00 million | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 17.68 million | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 17.87 million | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 18.07 million | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 18.37 million | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 18.73 million | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 19.18 million | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 19.74 million | +2.9% |
| 2013 | 20.27 million | +2.7% |
| 2014 | 20.80 million | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 21.26 million | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 21.72 million | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 22.13 million | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 22.50 million | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 22.74 million | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 22.98 million | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 23.01 million | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 22.99 million | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 22.96 million | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 22.62 million | -1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 12.37 million | 11.40 million | 13.52 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 15.41 million | 13.82 million | 17.11 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.76 million | 17.41 million | 17.97 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.79 million | 17.50 million | 18.37 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.91 million | 18.73 million | 22.74 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.91 million | 22.62 million | 23.01 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries
More education data for UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 17.93 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 2.81 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 22.79 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.18 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 24.28 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.77 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.22 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -0.3301 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 8.84 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 5.99 % change on previous year (2024)
All data for UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries →
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries?
- School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries was 22.62 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries?
- The highest recorded value was 23.01 million in 2021.
- What is the lowest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.40 million in 1970.
- How does UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries rank for school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes?
- UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries ranks 130th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries 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