School age population, primary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa
SDG: Northern Africa: School age population, primary education, both sexes was 34.73 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
34.73 million
Change on year
up 0.8%
Rank
146th
of 221 groups
All-time high
34.73 million
in 2024
All-time low
15.74 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, primary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, school age population, primary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa stood at 34.73 million. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and up 24.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa peaked at 34.73 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 15.74 million, in 1970.
SDG: Northern Africa ranks 146th of 221 groups on this measure, 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, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 15.74 million | — |
| 1971 | 16.04 million | +2.0% |
| 1972 | 16.30 million | +1.6% |
| 1973 | 16.55 million | +1.5% |
| 1974 | 16.77 million | +1.3% |
| 1975 | 16.98 million | +1.3% |
| 1976 | 17.31 million | +1.9% |
| 1977 | 17.70 million | +2.3% |
| 1978 | 18.03 million | +1.9% |
| 1979 | 18.37 million | +1.9% |
| 1980 | 18.72 million | +1.9% |
| 1981 | 19.11 million | +2.1% |
| 1982 | 19.52 million | +2.1% |
| 1983 | 19.90 million | +2.0% |
| 1984 | 20.28 million | +1.9% |
| 1985 | 20.70 million | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 21.15 million | +2.2% |
| 1987 | 21.61 million | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 22.05 million | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 22.52 million | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 21.62 million | -4.0% |
| 1991 | 22.66 million | +4.8% |
| 1992 | 23.07 million | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 23.43 million | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 23.68 million | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 23.84 million | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 23.93 million | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 23.95 million | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 23.93 million | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 23.96 million | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 23.92 million | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 23.89 million | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 23.85 million | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 23.81 million | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 23.79 million | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 25.55 million | +7.4% |
| 2006 | 25.59 million | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 25.69 million | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 25.88 million | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 25.51 million | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 25.88 million | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 26.26 million | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 26.71 million | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 27.24 million | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 27.86 million | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 28.55 million | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 29.28 million | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 30.08 million | +2.7% |
| 2018 | 30.86 million | +2.6% |
| 2019 | 31.67 million | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 32.46 million | +2.5% |
| 2021 | 33.23 million | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 33.94 million | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 34.46 million | +1.5% |
| 2024 | 34.73 million | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 16.98 million | 15.74 million | 18.37 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 20.56 million | 18.72 million | 22.52 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 23.41 million | 21.62 million | 23.96 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.75 million | 23.79 million | 25.88 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.44 million | 25.88 million | 31.67 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.76 million | 32.46 million | 34.73 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Northern Africa
- 143 Eswatini 192,215 compare
- 144 Puerto Rico 156,458 compare
- 145 Armenia 153,161 compare
- 146 Croatia 143,345 compare
- 147 Bosnia and Herzegovina 137,610 compare
- 148 Republic of Moldova 130,660 compare
- 149 Slovenia 130,287 compare
More education data for SDG: Northern Africa
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 26.17 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 4.36 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 12.91 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 4.66 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.30 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 3.99 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.47 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 33.17 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.18 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 13.26 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, primary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa?
- School age population, primary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa was 34.73 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?
- The highest recorded value was 34.73 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Northern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.74 million in 1970.
- How does SDG: Northern Africa rank for school age population, primary education, both sexes?
- SDG: Northern Africa ranks 146th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, primary education, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Northern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: Northern Africa 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