School age population, primary education, both sexes (number) in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: School age population, primary education, both sexes (number) was 17.10 million number in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
17.10 million number
Change on year
up 1.6%
World rank
7th
of 206 countries
All-time high
17.10 million number
in 2020
All-time low
4.23 million number
in 1970
Years of data
51
1970–2020
School age population, primary education, both sexes in Ethiopia, 1970–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, primary education, both sexes in Ethiopia is 17.10 million number, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.6% on the previous year and up 15.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, both sexes in Ethiopia peaked at 17.10 million number in 2020 and was at its lowest, 4.23 million number, in 1970.
Ethiopia ranks 7th of 206 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
School age population, primary education, both sexes (number) in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 4.23 million number | — |
| 1971 | 4.36 million number | +3.1% |
| 1972 | 4.52 million number | +3.6% |
| 1973 | 4.69 million number | +3.7% |
| 1974 | 4.85 million number | +3.5% |
| 1975 | 4.99 million number | +2.9% |
| 1976 | 5.10 million number | +2.2% |
| 1977 | 5.15 million number | +0.9% |
| 1978 | 5.19 million number | +0.9% |
| 1979 | 5.25 million number | +1.2% |
| 1980 | 5.34 million number | +1.6% |
| 1981 | 5.46 million number | +2.2% |
| 1982 | 5.67 million number | +4.0% |
| 1983 | 5.92 million number | +4.3% |
| 1984 | 6.17 million number | +4.3% |
| 1985 | 6.41 million number | +3.9% |
| 1986 | 6.62 million number | +3.3% |
| 1987 | 6.83 million number | +3.2% |
| 1988 | 7.06 million number | +3.3% |
| 1989 | 7.30 million number | +3.4% |
| 1990 | 7.55 million number | +3.5% |
| 1991 | 7.82 million number | +3.5% |
| 1992 | 8.16 million number | +4.4% |
| 1993 | 8.55 million number | +4.7% |
| 1994 | 8.94 million number | +4.6% |
| 1995 | 9.31 million number | +4.1% |
| 1996 | 9.62 million number | +3.3% |
| 1997 | 9.89 million number | +2.7% |
| 1998 | 10.14 million number | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 10.41 million number | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 10.69 million number | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 10.98 million number | +2.7% |
| 2002 | 11.31 million number | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 11.71 million number | +3.6% |
| 2004 | 12.18 million number | +4.0% |
| 2005 | 12.67 million number | +4.1% |
| 2006 | 13.18 million number | +4.0% |
| 2007 | 13.67 million number | +3.7% |
| 2008 | 14.12 million number | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 14.53 million number | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 14.88 million number | +2.4% |
| 2011 | 15.17 million number | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 15.42 million number | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 15.64 million number | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 15.85 million number | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 16.04 million number | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 16.21 million number | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 16.39 million number | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 16.60 million number | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 16.83 million number | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 17.10 million number | +1.6% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 17.10 million number is above the median for low income countries, which is 2.84 million number, 6.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 17.10 million number is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.02 million number, 8.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.83 million number | 4.23 million number | 5.25 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.28 million number | 5.34 million number | 7.30 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.04 million number | 7.55 million number | 10.41 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.50 million number | 10.69 million number | 14.53 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.90 million number | 14.88 million number | 16.83 million number | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.10 million number | 17.10 million number | 17.10 million number | 1 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
- 4 Indonesia 27.96 million number compare
- 5 Pakistan 25.11 million number compare
- 6 United States 24.65 million number compare
- 8 Democratic Republic of Congo 15.17 million number compare
- 9 Bangladesh 14.72 million number compare
- 10 Philippines 13.45 million number compare
More education data for Ethiopia
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 74.92 (2024)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 77.54 (2024)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 272,545 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 900,151 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.32 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.16 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.03 million (2015)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 15.93 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.45 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, primary education, both sexes in Ethiopia?
- School age population, primary education, both sexes in Ethiopia was 17.10 million number in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 17.10 million number in 2020.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.23 million number in 1970.
- How does Ethiopia rank for school age population, primary education, both sexes?
- Ethiopia ranks 7th out of 206 countries with data for 2020.
- Is school age population, primary education, both sexes rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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
Population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to primary education as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.