School age population, primary education, both sexes (number) in Nepal
Nepal: School age population, primary education, both sexes (number) was 2.77 million number in 2020. ▲ Rising
School age population, primary education, both sexes in Nepal, 1970–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, primary education, both sexes in Nepal is 2.77 million number, measured in 2020.
That represents a change of down 0.7% on the previous year and down 18.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, both sexes in Nepal peaked at 3.55 million number in 2007 and was at its lowest, 1.53 million number, in 1970.
Nepal ranks 53rd of 206 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
School age population, primary education, both sexes (number) in Nepal, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.53 million number | — |
| 1971 | 1.55 million number | +1.4% |
| 1981 | 1.95 million number | +26.1% |
| 1982 | 2.01 million number | +2.9% |
| 1983 | 2.07 million number | +3.0% |
| 1984 | 2.13 million number | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 2.19 million number | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 2.25 million number | +2.6% |
| 1987 | 2.31 million number | +3.0% |
| 1988 | 2.38 million number | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 2.45 million number | +2.8% |
| 1990 | 2.51 million number | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 2.57 million number | +2.5% |
| 1992 | 2.64 million number | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 2.71 million number | +2.6% |
| 1994 | 2.78 million number | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 2.84 million number | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 2.90 million number | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 2.97 million number | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 3.03 million number | +2.3% |
| 1999 | 3.10 million number | +2.2% |
| 2000 | 3.17 million number | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 3.23 million number | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 3.29 million number | +1.8% |
| 2003 | 3.42 million number | +4.1% |
| 2004 | 3.48 million number | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 3.52 million number | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 3.54 million number | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 3.55 million number | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 3.53 million number | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 3.47 million number | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 3.39 million number | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 3.30 million number | -2.7% |
| 2012 | 3.23 million number | -2.3% |
| 2013 | 3.15 million number | -2.4% |
| 2014 | 3.07 million number | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 3.01 million number | -2.1% |
| 2016 | 2.95 million number | -1.8% |
| 2017 | 2.87 million number | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 2.82 million number | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 2.79 million number | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 2.77 million number | -0.7% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 2.77 million number is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.43 million number, 1.9× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nepal's 2.77 million number is above the median for South Asia, which is 2.23 million number, 1.2× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where School age population, primary education, both sexes (number) in Nepal changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | +26.1% | 1.55 million number | 1.95 million number |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.54 million number | 1.53 million number | 1.55 million number | 2 |
| 1980s | 2.19 million number | 1.95 million number | 2.45 million number | 9 |
| 1990s | 2.80 million number | 2.51 million number | 3.10 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.42 million number | 3.17 million number | 3.55 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.06 million number | 2.79 million number | 3.39 million number | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.77 million number | 2.77 million number | 2.77 million number | 1 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
More education data for Nepal
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 98.55 (2025)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 99.24 (2025)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 124,257 (2025)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 263,796 (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 752,326 (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 609,324 (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.67 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.57 million (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.31 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, primary education, both sexes in Nepal?
- School age population, primary education, both sexes in Nepal was 2.77 million number in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 3.55 million number in 2007.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.53 million number in 1970.
- How does Nepal rank for school age population, primary education, both sexes?
- Nepal ranks 53rd out of 206 countries with data for 2020.
- Is school age population, primary education, both sexes rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nepal 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.