School age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: All Unicef Countries
UNICEF: All Unicef Countries: School age population, primary education, both sexes was 699.94 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
699.94 million
Change on year
up 0.0%
Rank
6th
of 221 groups
All-time high
699.94 million
in 2024
All-time low
423.47 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: All Unicef Countries, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: All Unicef Countries is 699.94 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 9.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: All Unicef Countries peaked at 699.94 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 423.47 million, in 1970.
UNICEF: All Unicef Countries ranks 6th 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 in UNICEF: All Unicef Countries, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 423.47 million | — |
| 1971 | 438.02 million | +3.4% |
| 1972 | 452.01 million | +3.2% |
| 1973 | 467.23 million | +3.4% |
| 1974 | 482.64 million | +3.3% |
| 1975 | 487.41 million | +1.0% |
| 1976 | 490.62 million | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 495.95 million | +1.1% |
| 1978 | 502.14 million | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 507.77 million | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 513.89 million | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 515.45 million | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 515.23 million | -0.0% |
| 1983 | 512.94 million | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 511.32 million | -0.3% |
| 1985 | 509.50 million | -0.4% |
| 1986 | 508.74 million | -0.2% |
| 1987 | 511.48 million | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 516.53 million | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 523.42 million | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 532.26 million | +1.7% |
| 1991 | 539.75 million | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 547.10 million | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 555.05 million | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 563.24 million | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 571.28 million | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 580.13 million | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 588.93 million | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 595.96 million | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 596.40 million | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 593.69 million | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 592.77 million | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 588.73 million | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 583.06 million | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 601.03 million | +3.1% |
| 2005 | 602.84 million | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 603.77 million | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 607.54 million | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 610.17 million | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 612.64 million | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 616.38 million | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 621.84 million | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 626.17 million | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 631.13 million | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 638.97 million | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 647.18 million | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 656.07 million | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 664.63 million | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 672.90 million | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 681.85 million | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 688.32 million | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 694.02 million | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 697.63 million | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 699.75 million | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 699.94 million | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 474.73 million | 423.47 million | 507.77 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 513.85 million | 508.74 million | 523.42 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 567.01 million | 532.26 million | 596.40 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 599.62 million | 583.06 million | 612.64 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 645.71 million | 616.38 million | 681.85 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 695.93 million | 688.32 million | 699.94 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: All Unicef Countries
More education data for UNICEF: All Unicef Countries
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 220.95 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 1.48 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 274.67 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.8422 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 294.84 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.4689 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 178.96 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -0.1674 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 108.41 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.85 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: All Unicef Countries?
- School age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: All Unicef Countries was 699.94 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: All Unicef Countries?
- The highest recorded value was 699.94 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: All Unicef Countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 423.47 million in 1970.
- How does UNICEF: All Unicef Countries rank for school age population, primary education, both sexes?
- UNICEF: All Unicef Countries ranks 6th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, primary education, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: All Unicef Countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: All Unicef 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