School age population, primary education, both sexes in European Union
European Union: School age population, primary education, both sexes was 28.98 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling
Latest (2019)
28.98 million number
Change on year
up 0.1%
Rank
2nd
of 2 groups
All-time high
37.45 million number
in 1972
All-time low
27.12 million number
in 2010
Years of data
50
1970–2019
School age population, primary education, both sexes in European Union, 1970–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
In 2019, school age population, primary education, both sexes in European Union stood at 28.98 million number.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and up 6.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, both sexes in European Union peaked at 37.45 million number in 1972 and was at its lowest, 27.12 million number, in 2010.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 50 years of available data.
School age population, primary education, both sexes in European Union, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 37.30 million number | — |
| 1971 | 37.43 million number | +0.3% |
| 1972 | 37.45 million number | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 37.39 million number | -0.2% |
| 1974 | 37.25 million number | -0.4% |
| 1975 | 37.05 million number | -0.5% |
| 1976 | 36.82 million number | -0.6% |
| 1977 | 36.58 million number | -0.6% |
| 1978 | 36.23 million number | -1.0% |
| 1979 | 35.74 million number | -1.3% |
| 1980 | 35.16 million number | -1.6% |
| 1981 | 34.56 million number | -1.7% |
| 1982 | 34.03 million number | -1.5% |
| 1983 | 33.57 million number | -1.4% |
| 1984 | 33.18 million number | -1.2% |
| 1985 | 32.83 million number | -1.0% |
| 1986 | 32.50 million number | -1.0% |
| 1987 | 32.19 million number | -0.9% |
| 1988 | 31.93 million number | -0.8% |
| 1989 | 31.70 million number | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 31.50 million number | -0.6% |
| 1991 | 31.34 million number | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 31.16 million number | -0.6% |
| 1993 | 31.01 million number | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 30.88 million number | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 30.74 million number | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 31.05 million number | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 31.02 million number | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 30.70 million number | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 30.44 million number | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 29.96 million number | -1.6% |
| 2001 | 29.48 million number | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 29.07 million number | -1.4% |
| 2003 | 28.69 million number | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 28.34 million number | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 28.02 million number | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 27.70 million number | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 27.56 million number | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 27.37 million number | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 27.23 million number | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 27.12 million number | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 27.13 million number | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 27.13 million number | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 27.47 million number | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 27.74 million number | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 28.09 million number | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 28.44 million number | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 28.78 million number | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 28.95 million number | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 28.98 million number | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 36.92 million number | 35.74 million number | 37.45 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 33.17 million number | 31.70 million number | 35.16 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 30.98 million number | 30.44 million number | 31.50 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.34 million number | 27.23 million number | 29.96 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.98 million number | 27.12 million number | 28.98 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near European Union
More education data for European Union
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 23.26 million (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 14.2% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 63.3% (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 1.89 million (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0517 units per person (2024)
- School enrollment, primary 102.4% (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per capita 0.0042 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, primary education, both sexes in European Union?
- School age population, primary education, both sexes in European Union was 28.98 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in European Union?
- The highest recorded value was 37.45 million number in 1972.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in European Union?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.12 million number in 2010.
- How does European Union rank for school age population, primary education, both sexes?
- European Union ranks 2nd out of 2 groups with data for 2019.
- Is school age population, primary education, both sexes rising or falling in European Union?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this European Union 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
Population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to primary education as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.