School age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa
UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa: School age population, primary education, both sexes was 59.82 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
59.82 million
Change on year
up 0.4%
Rank
117th
of 221 groups
All-time high
59.82 million
in 2024
All-time low
24.89 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, school age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa stood at 59.82 million. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 22.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa peaked at 59.82 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 24.89 million, in 1970.
UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa ranks 117th 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 UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 24.89 million | — |
| 1971 | 25.68 million | +3.2% |
| 1972 | 25.47 million | -0.8% |
| 1973 | 26.07 million | +2.3% |
| 1974 | 26.63 million | +2.2% |
| 1975 | 27.17 million | +2.0% |
| 1976 | 27.84 million | +2.4% |
| 1977 | 28.57 million | +2.6% |
| 1978 | 29.23 million | +2.3% |
| 1979 | 29.86 million | +2.2% |
| 1980 | 30.51 million | +2.2% |
| 1981 | 31.22 million | +2.3% |
| 1982 | 32.00 million | +2.5% |
| 1983 | 32.81 million | +2.5% |
| 1984 | 33.71 million | +2.7% |
| 1985 | 34.73 million | +3.0% |
| 1986 | 35.82 million | +3.1% |
| 1987 | 37.01 million | +3.3% |
| 1988 | 38.16 million | +3.1% |
| 1989 | 39.37 million | +3.2% |
| 1990 | 39.21 million | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 40.70 million | +3.8% |
| 1992 | 41.73 million | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 42.62 million | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 43.31 million | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 43.78 million | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 44.10 million | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 44.30 million | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 44.37 million | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 44.26 million | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 43.97 million | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 43.62 million | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 43.07 million | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 41.49 million | -3.7% |
| 2004 | 41.13 million | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 42.78 million | +4.0% |
| 2006 | 42.89 million | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 42.95 million | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 43.12 million | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 42.89 million | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 43.37 million | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 43.87 million | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 44.60 million | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 46.73 million | +4.8% |
| 2014 | 49.00 million | +4.9% |
| 2015 | 50.26 million | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 51.62 million | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 53.06 million | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 54.26 million | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 55.58 million | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 56.79 million | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 57.89 million | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 58.87 million | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 59.57 million | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 59.82 million | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 27.14 million | 24.89 million | 29.86 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 34.53 million | 30.51 million | 39.37 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 42.84 million | 39.21 million | 44.37 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 42.79 million | 41.13 million | 43.97 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.24 million | 43.37 million | 55.58 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 58.59 million | 56.79 million | 59.82 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa
More education data for UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 6.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 21.65 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.17 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 23.21 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.71 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 6.49 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -0.5257 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 17.53 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 8.61 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 6.11 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa?
- School age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa was 59.82 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 59.82 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.89 million in 1970.
- How does UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa rank for school age population, primary education, both sexes?
- UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa ranks 117th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, primary education, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: Middle East and North 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