School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan: School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes was 19.37 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising
School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, 1970–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 19.37 million number, measured in 2019. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
The figure is up 2.3% on the previous year and up 22.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan peaked at 19.37 million number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 8.52 million number, in 1970.
That places Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 35th out of 45 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 8.52 million number | — |
| 1971 | 8.70 million number | +2.1% |
| 1972 | 8.97 million number | +3.0% |
| 1973 | 9.22 million number | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 9.48 million number | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 9.71 million number | +2.4% |
| 1976 | 9.92 million number | +2.2% |
| 1977 | 10.19 million number | +2.8% |
| 1978 | 10.47 million number | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 10.74 million number | +2.6% |
| 1980 | 11.01 million number | +2.5% |
| 1981 | 11.31 million number | +2.7% |
| 1982 | 11.69 million number | +3.4% |
| 1983 | 12.09 million number | +3.5% |
| 1984 | 12.51 million number | +3.5% |
| 1985 | 12.92 million number | +3.2% |
| 1986 | 13.30 million number | +3.0% |
| 1987 | 13.75 million number | +3.4% |
| 1988 | 14.19 million number | +3.2% |
| 1989 | 14.61 million number | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 14.95 million number | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 15.21 million number | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 15.46 million number | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 15.65 million number | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 15.77 million number | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 15.82 million number | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 15.81 million number | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 15.78 million number | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 16.14 million number | +2.3% |
| 1999 | 16.03 million number | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 15.91 million number | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 15.86 million number | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 15.79 million number | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 15.75 million number | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 15.73 million number | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 15.77 million number | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 15.26 million number | -3.2% |
| 2007 | 15.38 million number | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 15.56 million number | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 15.77 million number | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 16.03 million number | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 16.29 million number | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 16.59 million number | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 16.92 million number | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 17.28 million number | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 17.63 million number | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 18.00 million number | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 18.47 million number | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 18.94 million number | +2.6% |
| 2019 | 19.37 million number | +2.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 9.59 million number | 8.52 million number | 10.74 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 12.74 million number | 11.01 million number | 14.61 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.66 million number | 14.95 million number | 16.14 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.68 million number | 15.26 million number | 15.91 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.55 million number | 16.03 million number | 19.37 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
More education data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.65 % change on previous year (2024)
- Population ages 15-64 63.1% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 31.7% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 3.29 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.113 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 91.90 million (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 68.09 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan →
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan was 19.37 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 19.37 million number in 2019.
- What is the lowest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.52 million number in 1970.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank for school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 35th out of 45 groups with data for 2019.
- Is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 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
Population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to pre-primary education as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.