School age population, primary education, both sexes (number) in Syria
Syria: School age population, primary education, both sexes (number) was 2.55 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
School age population, primary education, both sexes in Syria, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, primary education, both sexes in Syria is 2.55 million, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 4.4% on the previous year and down 21.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, both sexes in Syria peaked at 3.40 million in 2019 and was at its lowest, 1.12 million, in 1970.
Syria ranks 58th of 222 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
School age population, primary education, both sexes (number) in Syria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.12 million | — |
| 1971 | 1.16 million | +3.7% |
| 1972 | 1.20 million | +3.7% |
| 1973 | 1.25 million | +3.6% |
| 1974 | 1.29 million | +3.6% |
| 1975 | 1.34 million | +3.6% |
| 1976 | 1.39 million | +3.7% |
| 1977 | 1.44 million | +3.8% |
| 1978 | 1.49 million | +3.7% |
| 1979 | 1.55 million | +3.6% |
| 1980 | 1.60 million | +3.6% |
| 1981 | 1.66 million | +3.6% |
| 1982 | 1.72 million | +3.6% |
| 1983 | 1.78 million | +3.6% |
| 1984 | 1.85 million | +3.7% |
| 1985 | 1.91 million | +3.6% |
| 1986 | 1.98 million | +3.4% |
| 1987 | 2.04 million | +3.2% |
| 1988 | 2.10 million | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 2.16 million | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 2.21 million | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 2.27 million | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 2.33 million | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 2.40 million | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 2.46 million | +2.8% |
| 1995 | 2.53 million | +2.6% |
| 1996 | 2.58 million | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 2.63 million | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 2.66 million | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 2.69 million | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 2.71 million | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 2.74 million | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 2.77 million | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 1.90 million | -31.5% |
| 2004 | 1.92 million | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 1.94 million | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 1.96 million | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 1.99 million | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 2.04 million | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 2.06 million | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 2.08 million | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 2.10 million | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 2.12 million | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 2.14 million | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 3.19 million | +49.0% |
| 2015 | 3.25 million | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 3.29 million | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 3.35 million | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 3.38 million | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 3.40 million | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 3.34 million | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 3.19 million | -4.6% |
| 2022 | 3.01 million | -5.7% |
| 2023 | 2.83 million | -6.0% |
| 2024 | 2.67 million | -5.7% |
| 2025 | 2.55 million | -4.4% |
Syria compared with similar countries
- Syria's 2.55 million is below the median for low income countries, which is 3.44 million, 74% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Syria's 2.55 million is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.21 million, 2.1× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where School age population, primary education, both sexes (number) in Syria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | +49.0% | 2.14 million | 3.19 million |
| 2003 | -31.5% | 2.77 million | 1.90 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.32 million | 1.12 million | 1.55 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.88 million | 1.60 million | 2.16 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.48 million | 2.21 million | 2.69 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.20 million | 1.90 million | 2.77 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.83 million | 2.08 million | 3.40 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.93 million | 2.55 million | 3.34 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Syria
More education data for Syria
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 54,596 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 90,421 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 75,782 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 72,747 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.36 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.17 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.0055 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.088 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, primary education, both sexes in Syria?
- School age population, primary education, both sexes in Syria was 2.55 million in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in Syria?
- The highest recorded value was 3.40 million in 2019.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in Syria?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.12 million in 1970.
- How does Syria rank for school age population, primary education, both sexes?
- Syria ranks 58th out of 222 countries with data for 2025.
- Is school age population, primary education, both sexes rising or falling in Syria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Syria 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
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release