School age population, primary education, both sexes in South Asia
South Asia: School age population, primary education, both sexes was 174.49 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising
Latest (2019)
174.49 million number
Change on year
down 0.8%
Rank
13th
of 43 groups
All-time high
177.23 million number
in 2015
All-time low
93.59 million number
in 1970
Years of data
50
1970–2019
School age population, primary education, both sexes in South Asia, 1970–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, primary education, both sexes in South Asia is 174.49 million number, measured in 2019.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, both sexes in South Asia peaked at 177.23 million number in 2015 and was at its lowest, 93.59 million number, in 1970.
South Asia ranks 13th of 43 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
School age population, primary education, both sexes in South Asia, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 93.59 million number | — |
| 1971 | 95.51 million number | +2.0% |
| 1972 | 97.73 million number | +2.3% |
| 1973 | 99.90 million number | +2.2% |
| 1974 | 101.90 million number | +2.0% |
| 1975 | 103.67 million number | +1.7% |
| 1976 | 105.37 million number | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 107.54 million number | +2.1% |
| 1978 | 109.81 million number | +2.1% |
| 1979 | 112.11 million number | +2.1% |
| 1980 | 114.36 million number | +2.0% |
| 1981 | 116.53 million number | +1.9% |
| 1982 | 118.82 million number | +2.0% |
| 1983 | 121.52 million number | +2.3% |
| 1984 | 124.19 million number | +2.2% |
| 1985 | 126.75 million number | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 129.21 million number | +1.9% |
| 1987 | 132.17 million number | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 135.37 million number | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 138.72 million number | +2.5% |
| 1990 | 142.08 million number | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 145.31 million number | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 148.68 million number | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 151.75 million number | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 154.37 million number | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 156.46 million number | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 158.14 million number | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 160.05 million number | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 161.77 million number | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 163.23 million number | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 164.43 million number | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 165.44 million number | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 166.74 million number | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 168.16 million number | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 169.48 million number | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 170.70 million number | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 171.82 million number | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 173.00 million number | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 174.05 million number | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 174.93 million number | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 175.61 million number | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 176.04 million number | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 176.52 million number | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 176.91 million number | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 177.18 million number | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 177.23 million number | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 177.00 million number | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 176.70 million number | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 175.88 million number | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 174.49 million number | -0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 102.71 million number | 93.59 million number | 112.11 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 125.76 million number | 114.36 million number | 138.72 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 154.18 million number | 142.08 million number | 163.23 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 169.87 million number | 164.43 million number | 174.93 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 176.36 million number | 174.49 million number | 177.23 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
More education data for South Asia
- Population ages 0-14 24.6% (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 5.84 million (2024)
- Population ages 15-64 68.1% (2025)
- School enrollment, primary 119.0% (2024)
- Primary education, teachers 5.84 million (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per capita 0.0035 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female 119.2% (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, male 118.8% (2024)
- Labor force, total, per capita 0.4194 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, primary education, both sexes in South Asia?
- School age population, primary education, both sexes in South Asia was 174.49 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 177.23 million number in 2015.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 93.59 million number in 1970.
- How does South Asia rank for school age population, primary education, both sexes?
- South Asia ranks 13th out of 43 groups with data for 2019.
- Is school age population, primary education, both sexes rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Asia 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.