School age population, primary education, both sexes in ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500)
ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500): School age population, primary education, both sexes was 53.31 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
53.31 million
Change on year
up 0.1%
Rank
133rd
of 221 groups
All-time high
53.31 million
in 2024
All-time low
21.60 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, primary education, both sexes in ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500), 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, primary education, both sexes in ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500) is 53.31 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 19.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, both sexes in ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500) peaked at 53.31 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 21.60 million, in 1970.
That places ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500) 133rd 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, primary education, both sexes in ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 21.60 million | — |
| 1971 | 22.21 million | +2.8% |
| 1972 | 22.66 million | +2.0% |
| 1973 | 23.12 million | +2.0% |
| 1974 | 23.55 million | +1.9% |
| 1975 | 23.94 million | +1.7% |
| 1976 | 24.35 million | +1.7% |
| 1977 | 24.76 million | +1.7% |
| 1978 | 25.22 million | +1.8% |
| 1979 | 25.68 million | +1.8% |
| 1980 | 26.12 million | +1.7% |
| 1981 | 26.64 million | +2.0% |
| 1982 | 27.18 million | +2.0% |
| 1983 | 27.71 million | +2.0% |
| 1984 | 28.27 million | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 28.88 million | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 29.47 million | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 30.12 million | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 30.72 million | +2.0% |
| 1989 | 31.33 million | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 30.58 million | -2.4% |
| 1991 | 31.56 million | +3.2% |
| 1992 | 32.17 million | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 32.72 million | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 33.31 million | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 33.77 million | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 34.18 million | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 34.53 million | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 34.85 million | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 35.24 million | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 35.58 million | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 36.02 million | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 36.34 million | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 35.67 million | -1.8% |
| 2004 | 35.95 million | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 38.09 million | +6.0% |
| 2006 | 38.48 million | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 38.74 million | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 39.17 million | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 39.83 million | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 40.43 million | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 41.00 million | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 41.72 million | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 42.61 million | +2.1% |
| 2014 | 44.71 million | +4.9% |
| 2015 | 45.74 million | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 46.85 million | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 48.06 million | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 49.06 million | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 50.16 million | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 51.13 million | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 51.98 million | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 52.73 million | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 53.25 million | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 53.31 million | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 23.71 million | 21.60 million | 25.68 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 28.65 million | 26.12 million | 31.33 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 33.29 million | 30.58 million | 35.24 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 37.39 million | 35.58 million | 39.83 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 45.04 million | 40.43 million | 50.16 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 52.48 million | 51.13 million | 53.31 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500)
- 130 Guinea-Bissau 338,523 compare
- 131 Kuwait 316,769 compare
- 132 Gabon 309,891 compare
- 133 Hong Kong, China 309,000 compare
- 134 Equatorial Guinea 273,790 compare
- 135 Uruguay 273,638 compare
- 136 Singapore 270,394 compare
More education data for ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes 2.28 million (2024)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 88.8% (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female 16.59 million (2024)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in vocational 9.6% (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male 17.81 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes 5.68 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female 23.71 million (2024)
- School age population, upper secondary education, male 11.98 million (2024)
- School age population, upper secondary education, female 11.49 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes 12.84 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, primary education, both sexes in ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500)?
- School age population, primary education, both sexes in ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500) was 53.31 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500)?
- The highest recorded value was 53.31 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500)?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.60 million in 1970.
- How does ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500) rank for school age population, primary education, both sexes?
- ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500) ranks 133rd out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, primary education, both sexes rising or falling in ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this ESCWA: All Countries (unsdcode:98500) data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release