School age population, primary education, both sexes (number) in UNICEF: World
UNICEF: World: School age population, primary education, both sexes (number) 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 (number) 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
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -0.3082 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.5772 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 34.04 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 1.22 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 314.34 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.7455 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 336.69 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.4208 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 206.38 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 129.28 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.
Download this data
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release