School age population, primary education, both sexes (number) in Germany
Germany: School age population, primary education, both sexes (number) was 2.98 million number in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
2.98 million number
Change on year
up 2.0%
World rank
48th
of 206 countries
All-time high
5.21 million number
in 1973
All-time low
2.82 million number
in 2016
Years of data
51
1970–2020
School age population, primary education, both sexes in Germany, 1970–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, primary education, both sexes in Germany is 2.98 million number, measured in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, both sexes in Germany peaked at 5.21 million number in 1973 and was at its lowest, 2.82 million number, in 2016.
That places Germany 48th out of 206 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.
School age population, primary education, both sexes (number) in Germany, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 5.03 million number | — |
| 1971 | 5.12 million number | +1.9% |
| 1972 | 5.18 million number | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 5.21 million number | +0.4% |
| 1974 | 5.19 million number | -0.4% |
| 1975 | 5.12 million number | -1.2% |
| 1976 | 5.02 million number | -2.0% |
| 1977 | 4.88 million number | -2.8% |
| 1978 | 4.65 million number | -4.8% |
| 1979 | 4.33 million number | -6.8% |
| 1980 | 3.97 million number | -8.3% |
| 1981 | 3.63 million number | -8.5% |
| 1982 | 3.36 million number | -7.4% |
| 1983 | 3.18 million number | -5.3% |
| 1984 | 3.11 million number | -2.4% |
| 1985 | 3.11 million number | -0.0% |
| 1986 | 3.13 million number | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 3.14 million number | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 3.17 million number | +1.1% |
| 1989 | 3.23 million number | +1.7% |
| 1990 | 3.30 million number | +2.1% |
| 1991 | 3.37 million number | +2.4% |
| 1992 | 3.47 million number | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 3.55 million number | +2.5% |
| 1994 | 3.62 million number | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 3.68 million number | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 3.71 million number | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 3.71 million number | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 3.67 million number | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 3.58 million number | -2.3% |
| 2000 | 3.47 million number | -3.0% |
| 2001 | 3.37 million number | -2.9% |
| 2002 | 3.29 million number | -2.5% |
| 2003 | 3.24 million number | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 3.21 million number | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 3.21 million number | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 3.19 million number | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 3.16 million number | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 3.11 million number | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 3.05 million number | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 2.98 million number | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 2.92 million number | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 2.89 million number | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 2.87 million number | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 2.85 million number | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 2.83 million number | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 2.82 million number | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 2.84 million number | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 2.88 million number | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 2.92 million number | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 2.98 million number | +2.0% |
Germany compared with similar countries
- Germany's 2.98 million number is above the median for high income countries, which is 227,912 number, 13.1× the median. (76 countries reporting)
- Germany's 2.98 million number is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 449,003 number, 6.6× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.97 million number | 4.33 million number | 5.21 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.30 million number | 3.11 million number | 3.97 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.57 million number | 3.30 million number | 3.71 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.23 million number | 3.05 million number | 3.47 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.88 million number | 2.82 million number | 2.98 million number | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.98 million number | 2.98 million number | 2.98 million number | 1 |
Countries ranked near Germany
More education data for Germany
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 98.48 (2022)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 99.73 (2024)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 618,670 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 15,242 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.35 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.27 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 6.97 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.31 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.83 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, primary education, both sexes in Germany?
- School age population, primary education, both sexes in Germany was 2.98 million number in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 5.21 million number in 1973.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.82 million number in 2016.
- How does Germany rank for school age population, primary education, both sexes?
- Germany ranks 48th out of 206 countries with data for 2020.
- Is school age population, primary education, both sexes rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Germany 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.