School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa
UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa: School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes was 20.25 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
20.25 million
Change on year
down 1.7%
Rank
146th
of 221 groups
All-time high
20.84 million
in 2020
All-time low
10.01 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa is 20.25 million, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 1.7% on the previous year and up 7.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa peaked at 20.84 million in 2020 and was at its lowest, 10.01 million, in 1970.
UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa ranks 146th 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, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 10.01 million | — |
| 1971 | 10.17 million | +1.6% |
| 1972 | 10.37 million | +2.0% |
| 1973 | 10.58 million | +2.0% |
| 1974 | 10.79 million | +2.0% |
| 1975 | 11.02 million | +2.1% |
| 1976 | 11.31 million | +2.6% |
| 1977 | 11.61 million | +2.6% |
| 1978 | 11.85 million | +2.1% |
| 1979 | 12.12 million | +2.3% |
| 1980 | 12.42 million | +2.5% |
| 1981 | 12.73 million | +2.5% |
| 1982 | 13.06 million | +2.6% |
| 1983 | 13.40 million | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 13.78 million | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 14.20 million | +3.0% |
| 1986 | 14.55 million | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 14.91 million | +2.5% |
| 1988 | 15.35 million | +3.0% |
| 1989 | 15.70 million | +2.3% |
| 1990 | 16.00 million | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 16.09 million | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 16.22 million | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 16.34 million | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 16.46 million | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 16.51 million | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 16.55 million | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 16.53 million | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 16.41 million | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 16.27 million | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 16.07 million | -1.2% |
| 2001 | 15.97 million | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 15.98 million | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 16.03 million | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 16.18 million | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 16.37 million | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 16.01 million | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 16.16 million | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 16.33 million | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 16.59 million | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 16.90 million | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 17.32 million | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 17.86 million | +3.1% |
| 2013 | 18.36 million | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 18.85 million | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 19.27 million | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 19.70 million | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 20.10 million | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 20.45 million | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 20.65 million | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 20.84 million | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 20.79 million | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 20.70 million | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 20.59 million | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 20.25 million | -1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 10.98 million | 10.01 million | 12.12 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.01 million | 12.42 million | 15.70 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.34 million | 16.00 million | 16.55 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.17 million | 15.97 million | 16.59 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.95 million | 16.90 million | 20.65 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.63 million | 20.25 million | 20.84 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa
More education data for UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 6.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 21.65 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.17 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 23.21 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.71 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 6.49 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -0.5257 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 17.53 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 8.61 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 6.11 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa?
- School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa was 20.25 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?
- The highest recorded value was 20.84 million in 2020.
- What is the lowest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.01 million in 1970.
- How does UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa rank for school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes?
- UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa ranks 146th 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?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa 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