School age population, primary education, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: School age population, primary education, both sexes was 181.22 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising
Latest (2019)
181.22 million number
Change on year
up 2.2%
Rank
10th
of 43 groups
All-time high
181.22 million number
in 2019
All-time low
50.12 million number
in 1970
Years of data
50
1970–2019
School age population, primary education, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1970–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
In 2019, school age population, primary education, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 181.22 million number. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
The figure is up 2.2% on the previous year and up 29.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 181.22 million number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 50.12 million number, in 1970.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 10th out of 43 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
School age population, primary education, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 50.12 million number | — |
| 1971 | 51.33 million number | +2.4% |
| 1972 | 52.74 million number | +2.7% |
| 1973 | 54.09 million number | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 55.54 million number | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 56.64 million number | +2.0% |
| 1976 | 57.98 million number | +2.4% |
| 1977 | 59.34 million number | +2.3% |
| 1978 | 61.05 million number | +2.9% |
| 1979 | 62.85 million number | +3.0% |
| 1980 | 64.61 million number | +2.8% |
| 1981 | 66.41 million number | +2.8% |
| 1982 | 68.44 million number | +3.1% |
| 1983 | 70.52 million number | +3.0% |
| 1984 | 72.66 million number | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 74.75 million number | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 76.81 million number | +2.8% |
| 1987 | 79.54 million number | +3.6% |
| 1988 | 81.99 million number | +3.1% |
| 1989 | 84.46 million number | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 86.83 million number | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 89.08 million number | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 91.51 million number | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 94.02 million number | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 96.44 million number | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 98.66 million number | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 100.77 million number | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 103.36 million number | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 106.11 million number | +2.7% |
| 1999 | 108.30 million number | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 110.55 million number | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 112.83 million number | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 115.40 million number | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 118.22 million number | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 121.28 million number | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 124.41 million number | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 127.59 million number | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 132.21 million number | +3.6% |
| 2008 | 135.92 million number | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 139.76 million number | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 143.64 million number | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 147.53 million number | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 151.62 million number | +2.8% |
| 2013 | 155.89 million number | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 160.21 million number | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 164.51 million number | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 168.72 million number | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 173.02 million number | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 177.32 million number | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 181.22 million number | +2.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 56.17 million number | 50.12 million number | 62.85 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 74.02 million number | 64.61 million number | 84.46 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 97.51 million number | 86.83 million number | 108.30 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 123.82 million number | 110.55 million number | 139.76 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 162.37 million number | 143.64 million number | 181.22 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 7 Ethiopia 17.10 million number compare
- 8 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 15.17 million number compare
- 9 Bangladesh 14.72 million number compare
- 10 Philippines 13.45 million number compare
- 11 Mexico 13.41 million number compare
- 12 Egypt 13.14 million number compare
- 13 Brazil 12.44 million number compare
More education data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 196.80 million (2024)
- Population ages 15-64 56.4% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 40.4% (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 5.14 million (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9738 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1526 units per person (2024)
- School enrollment, primary 97.1% (2024)
- Primary education, teachers 5.14 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, primary education, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- School age population, primary education, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa was 181.22 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 181.22 million number in 2019.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 50.12 million number in 1970.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for school age population, primary education, both sexes?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 10th out of 43 groups with data for 2019.
- Is school age population, primary education, both sexes rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa 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.