School age population, primary education, both sexes in Iceland
Iceland: School age population, primary education, both sexes was 32,508 number in 2020. ▲ Rising
School age population, primary education, both sexes in Iceland, 1970–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, primary education, both sexes in Iceland is 32,508 number, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 9.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, both sexes in Iceland peaked at 32,508 number in 2020 and was at its lowest, 24,962 number, in 1981.
That places Iceland 174th out of 206 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
School age population, primary education, both sexes in Iceland, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 27,516 number | — |
| 1971 | 27,583 number | +0.2% |
| 1972 | 27,630 number | +0.2% |
| 1973 | 27,544 number | -0.3% |
| 1974 | 27,324 number | -0.8% |
| 1975 | 26,974 number | -1.3% |
| 1976 | 26,503 number | -1.7% |
| 1977 | 25,974 number | -2.0% |
| 1978 | 25,509 number | -1.8% |
| 1979 | 25,181 number | -1.3% |
| 1980 | 24,996 number | -0.7% |
| 1981 | 24,962 number | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 25,055 number | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 25,159 number | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 25,219 number | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 25,232 number | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 25,197 number | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 25,150 number | -0.2% |
| 1988 | 25,124 number | -0.1% |
| 1989 | 25,135 number | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 25,169 number | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 29,471 number | +17.1% |
| 1992 | 29,609 number | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 29,695 number | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 29,737 number | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 29,762 number | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 29,798 number | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 29,773 number | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 29,829 number | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 30,025 number | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 30,373 number | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 30,894 number | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 31,608 number | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 32,019 number | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 32,053 number | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 31,782 number | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 31,262 number | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 30,656 number | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 30,174 number | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 29,895 number | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 29,774 number | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 29,786 number | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 29,921 number | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 30,146 number | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 30,445 number | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 30,846 number | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 31,340 number | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 31,869 number | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 32,279 number | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 32,496 number | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 32,508 number | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 26,774 number | 25,181 number | 27,630 number | 10 |
| 1980s | 25,123 number | 24,962 number | 25,232 number | 10 |
| 1990s | 29,287 number | 25,169 number | 30,025 number | 10 |
| 2000s | 31,072 number | 29,895 number | 32,053 number | 10 |
| 2010s | 30,890 number | 29,774 number | 32,496 number | 10 |
| 2020s | 32,508 number | 32,508 number | 32,508 number | 1 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 171 Sao Tome and Principe 36,133 number compare
- 172 Macau, China 34,216 number compare
- 173 Bahamas 33,686 number compare
- 175 Samoa 28,807 number compare
- 176 French Polynesia 26,619 number compare
- 177 Malta 25,354 number compare
More education data for Iceland
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 3,568 (2023)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 66.5% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 17.5% (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age 13 years (2025)
- Primary school starting age 6 years (2025)
- Primary secondary enrollment completion rates, gaps filled 98.22 (2023)
- School enrollment, primary 98.2% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, primary education, both sexes in Iceland?
- School age population, primary education, both sexes in Iceland was 32,508 number in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 32,508 number in 2020.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 24,962 number in 1981.
- How does Iceland rank for school age population, primary education, both sexes?
- Iceland ranks 174th out of 206 countries with data for 2020.
- Is school age population, primary education, both sexes rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland 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.