School age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: South Asia
UNICEF: South Asia: School age population, primary education, both sexes was 172.26 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
172.26 million
Change on year
down 0.7%
Rank
54th
of 221 groups
All-time high
179.06 million
in 2011
All-time low
161.70 million
in 1999
Years of data
26
1999–2024
School age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: South Asia, 1999–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, school age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: South Asia stood at 172.26 million.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.7% on the previous year and down 3.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: South Asia peaked at 179.06 million in 2011 and was at its lowest, 161.70 million, in 1999.
UNICEF: South Asia ranks 54th of 221 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
School age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: South Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 161.70 million | — |
| 2000 | 162.32 million | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 165.23 million | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 166.54 million | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 167.93 million | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 169.27 million | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 170.63 million | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 172.09 million | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 173.74 million | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 175.19 million | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 176.42 million | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 177.07 million | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 179.06 million | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 178.70 million | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 178.06 million | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 177.59 million | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 177.49 million | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 177.48 million | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 177.36 million | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 177.38 million | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 177.21 million | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 176.60 million | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 175.77 million | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 174.72 million | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 173.41 million | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 172.26 million | -0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 161.70 million | 161.70 million | 161.70 million | 1 |
| 2000s | 169.94 million | 162.32 million | 176.42 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 177.74 million | 177.07 million | 179.06 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 174.55 million | 172.26 million | 176.60 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: South Asia
More education data for UNICEF: South Asia
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 51.70 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 2.87 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 84.88 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.1267 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 91.07 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate -1.39 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 53.53 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 7.86 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 26.43 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.81 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: South Asia?
- School age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: South Asia was 172.26 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 179.06 million in 2011.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 161.70 million in 1999.
- How does UNICEF: South Asia rank for school age population, primary education, both sexes?
- UNICEF: South Asia ranks 54th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, primary education, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: South 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.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release