School age population, primary education, both sexes (number) in MDG: World
MDG: World: School age population, primary education, both sexes (number) was 764.35 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
764.35 million
Change on year
up 0.0%
Rank
3rd
of 221 groups
All-time high
764.35 million
in 2024
All-time low
491.18 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, primary education, both sexes in MDG: World, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
MDG: World recorded 764.35 million for school age population, primary education, both sexes in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of up 8.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, both sexes in MDG: World peaked at 764.35 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 491.18 million, in 1970.
MDG: World ranks 3rd of 221 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
School age population, primary education, both sexes (number) in MDG: World, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 491.18 million | — |
| 1971 | 505.74 million | +3.0% |
| 1972 | 519.72 million | +2.8% |
| 1973 | 534.94 million | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 550.35 million | +2.9% |
| 1975 | 555.12 million | +0.9% |
| 1976 | 558.33 million | +0.6% |
| 1977 | 563.65 million | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 569.84 million | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 575.47 million | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 581.73 million | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 583.28 million | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 583.07 million | -0.0% |
| 1983 | 580.78 million | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 579.16 million | -0.3% |
| 1985 | 577.35 million | -0.3% |
| 1986 | 576.58 million | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 579.32 million | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 584.37 million | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 591.25 million | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 600.08 million | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 607.56 million | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 614.91 million | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 622.85 million | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 631.04 million | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 639.07 million | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 647.92 million | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 656.61 million | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 663.63 million | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 664.07 million | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 661.37 million | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 660.06 million | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 655.50 million | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 649.07 million | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 666.32 million | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 667.49 million | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 667.98 million | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 671.64 million | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 674.20 million | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 676.64 million | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 680.47 million | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 686.20 million | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 690.49 million | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 695.53 million | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 703.74 million | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 712.44 million | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 721.73 million | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 730.67 million | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 739.12 million | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 748.00 million | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 753.32 million | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 758.67 million | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 761.95 million | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 764.28 million | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 764.35 million | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 542.43 million | 491.18 million | 575.47 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 581.69 million | 576.58 million | 591.25 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 634.77 million | 600.08 million | 664.07 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 665.03 million | 649.07 million | 676.64 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 710.84 million | 680.47 million | 748.00 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 760.52 million | 753.32 million | 764.35 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near MDG: World
More education data for MDG: World
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -0.3122 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.5777 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 34.10 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 1.22 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 314.66 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.7457 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 337.02 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.4213 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 206.57 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 129.51 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, primary education, both sexes in MDG: World?
- School age population, primary education, both sexes in MDG: World was 764.35 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in MDG: World?
- The highest recorded value was 764.35 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in MDG: World?
- The lowest recorded value was 491.18 million in 1970.
- How does MDG: World rank for school age population, primary education, both sexes?
- MDG: World ranks 3rd out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, primary education, both sexes rising or falling in MDG: World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this MDG: World 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