School age population, primary education, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries
SDG: Least Developed Countries: School age population, primary education, both sexes was 169.85 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
169.85 million
Change on year
up 0.7%
Rank
56th
of 221 groups
All-time high
169.85 million
in 2024
All-time low
51.06 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, primary education, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, school age population, primary education, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries stood at 169.85 million. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 18.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries peaked at 169.85 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 51.06 million, in 1970.
SDG: Least Developed Countries ranks 56th of 221 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
School age population, primary education, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 51.06 million | — |
| 1971 | 52.35 million | +2.5% |
| 1972 | 53.59 million | +2.4% |
| 1973 | 54.82 million | +2.3% |
| 1974 | 56.20 million | +2.5% |
| 1975 | 57.35 million | +2.1% |
| 1976 | 58.71 million | +2.4% |
| 1977 | 59.85 million | +1.9% |
| 1978 | 61.30 million | +2.4% |
| 1979 | 62.93 million | +2.7% |
| 1980 | 64.50 million | +2.5% |
| 1981 | 65.83 million | +2.1% |
| 1982 | 66.67 million | +1.3% |
| 1983 | 68.24 million | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 69.81 million | +2.3% |
| 1985 | 71.51 million | +2.4% |
| 1986 | 73.24 million | +2.4% |
| 1987 | 75.47 million | +3.0% |
| 1988 | 77.45 million | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 79.50 million | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 81.58 million | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 83.49 million | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 85.33 million | +2.2% |
| 1993 | 87.39 million | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 89.51 million | +2.4% |
| 1995 | 91.78 million | +2.5% |
| 1996 | 93.98 million | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 96.56 million | +2.7% |
| 1998 | 99.23 million | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 101.55 million | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 103.93 million | +2.3% |
| 2001 | 106.21 million | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 108.78 million | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 111.66 million | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 114.39 million | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 117.02 million | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 119.76 million | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 123.61 million | +3.2% |
| 2008 | 126.32 million | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 129.16 million | +2.2% |
| 2010 | 132.06 million | +2.2% |
| 2011 | 134.88 million | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 137.73 million | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 140.95 million | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 143.63 million | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 146.60 million | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 149.45 million | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 152.31 million | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 155.25 million | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 158.16 million | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 161.07 million | +1.8% |
| 2021 | 164.01 million | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 166.91 million | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 168.70 million | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 169.85 million | +0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 56.81 million | 51.06 million | 62.93 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 71.22 million | 64.50 million | 79.50 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 91.04 million | 81.58 million | 101.55 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 116.08 million | 103.93 million | 129.16 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 145.10 million | 132.06 million | 158.16 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 166.11 million | 161.07 million | 169.85 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Least Developed Countries
More education data for SDG: Least Developed Countries
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 93.3% (2024)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 92.1% (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female 36.37 million (2024)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in vocational 6.7% (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male 39.55 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes 22.98 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes 4.43 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male 87.82 million (2024)
- School age population, upper secondary education, male 37.68 million (2024)
- School age population, upper secondary education, female 36.80 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, primary education, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- School age population, primary education, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries was 169.85 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- The highest recorded value was 169.85 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 51.06 million in 1970.
- How does SDG: Least Developed Countries rank for school age population, primary education, both sexes?
- SDG: Least Developed Countries ranks 56th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, primary education, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: Least Developed Countries 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