School age population, primary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia
SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia: School age population, primary education, both sexes was 64.95 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
64.95 million
Change on year
up 0.1%
Rank
110th
of 221 groups
All-time high
64.95 million
in 2024
All-time low
32.21 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, primary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia recorded 64.95 million for school age population, primary education, both sexes in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 19.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia peaked at 64.95 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 32.21 million, in 1970.
That places SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia 110th 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 SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 32.21 million | — |
| 1971 | 32.89 million | +2.1% |
| 1972 | 33.36 million | +1.4% |
| 1973 | 33.83 million | +1.4% |
| 1974 | 34.25 million | +1.2% |
| 1975 | 34.63 million | +1.1% |
| 1976 | 35.13 million | +1.4% |
| 1977 | 35.71 million | +1.7% |
| 1978 | 36.24 million | +1.5% |
| 1979 | 36.79 million | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 37.35 million | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 37.97 million | +1.6% |
| 1982 | 38.60 million | +1.7% |
| 1983 | 39.20 million | +1.6% |
| 1984 | 39.83 million | +1.6% |
| 1985 | 40.50 million | +1.7% |
| 1986 | 41.16 million | +1.6% |
| 1987 | 41.90 million | +1.8% |
| 1988 | 42.61 million | +1.7% |
| 1989 | 43.34 million | +1.7% |
| 1990 | 42.73 million | -1.4% |
| 1991 | 43.83 million | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 44.56 million | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 45.21 million | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 45.91 million | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 46.36 million | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 46.75 million | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 46.98 million | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 47.25 million | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 47.53 million | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 47.74 million | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 48.04 million | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 48.23 million | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 47.45 million | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 47.73 million | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 49.71 million | +4.1% |
| 2006 | 49.93 million | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 50.07 million | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 50.56 million | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 50.39 million | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 50.90 million | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 51.45 million | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 52.18 million | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 51.92 million | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 54.29 million | +4.6% |
| 2015 | 55.63 million | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 57.01 million | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 58.47 million | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 59.67 million | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 60.98 million | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 62.17 million | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 63.27 million | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 64.25 million | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 64.88 million | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 64.95 million | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 34.50 million | 32.21 million | 36.79 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 40.25 million | 37.35 million | 43.34 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 45.71 million | 42.73 million | 47.53 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 48.98 million | 47.45 million | 50.56 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 55.25 million | 50.90 million | 60.98 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 63.90 million | 62.17 million | 64.95 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia
- 107 Palestine, State of 574,936 compare
- 108 Ireland 562,836 compare
- 109 Greece 557,140 compare
- 110 Switzerland 550,277 compare
- 111 Portugal 538,035 compare
- 112 Namibia 500,912 compare
- 113 United Arab Emirates 496,340 compare
More education data for SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 32.09 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 0.2663 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 4.45 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 9.09 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 61.67 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.5703 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 29.58 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.7875 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.19 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 26.40 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, primary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- School age population, primary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia was 64.95 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 64.95 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 32.21 million in 1970.
- How does SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia rank for school age population, primary education, both sexes?
- SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia ranks 110th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, primary education, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia 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.
Download this data
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release