School age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: World
UNICEF: World: School age population, primary education, both sexes was 763.78 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
763.78 million
Change on year
up 0.0%
Rank
5th
of 221 groups
All-time high
763.78 million
in 2024
All-time low
490.19 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: World, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: World is 763.78 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is up 8.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: World peaked at 763.78 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 490.19 million, in 1970.
That places UNICEF: World 5th out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it 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: World, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 490.19 million | — |
| 1971 | 504.74 million | +3.0% |
| 1972 | 518.73 million | +2.8% |
| 1973 | 533.95 million | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 549.36 million | +2.9% |
| 1975 | 554.13 million | +0.9% |
| 1976 | 557.34 million | +0.6% |
| 1977 | 562.67 million | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 568.86 million | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 574.49 million | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 580.61 million | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 582.17 million | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 581.95 million | -0.0% |
| 1983 | 579.66 million | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 578.04 million | -0.3% |
| 1985 | 576.23 million | -0.3% |
| 1986 | 575.46 million | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 578.20 million | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 583.25 million | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 590.14 million | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 598.98 million | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 606.47 million | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 613.83 million | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 621.77 million | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 629.96 million | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 638.00 million | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 646.85 million | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 655.66 million | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 662.68 million | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 663.12 million | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 660.42 million | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 659.12 million | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 654.57 million | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 648.16 million | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 665.42 million | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 666.62 million | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 667.14 million | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 670.83 million | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 673.42 million | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 675.90 million | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 679.77 million | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 685.52 million | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 689.84 million | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 694.90 million | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 703.11 million | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 711.81 million | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 721.09 million | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 730.04 million | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 738.48 million | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 747.35 million | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 752.69 million | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 758.06 million | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 761.35 million | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 763.71 million | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 763.78 million | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 541.45 million | 490.19 million | 574.49 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 580.57 million | 575.46 million | 590.14 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 633.73 million | 598.98 million | 663.12 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 664.16 million | 648.16 million | 675.90 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 710.19 million | 679.77 million | 747.35 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 759.92 million | 752.69 million | 763.78 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: World
More education data for UNICEF: World
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 89.8% (2024)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 88.7% (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female 314.34 million (2024)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in vocational 10.2% (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male 336.69 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes 206.38 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes 34.04 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male 404.15 million (2024)
- School age population, upper secondary education, male 212.93 million (2024)
- School age population, upper secondary education, female 199.52 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: World?
- School age population, primary education, both sexes in UNICEF: World was 763.78 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: World?
- The highest recorded value was 763.78 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: World?
- The lowest recorded value was 490.19 million in 1970.
- How does UNICEF: World rank for school age population, primary education, both sexes?
- UNICEF: World ranks 5th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, primary education, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: World 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