School age population, primary education, female in UNICEF: West and Central Africa
UNICEF: West and Central Africa: School age population, primary education, female was 50.02 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
50.02 million
Change on year
up 0.6%
Rank
82nd
of 221 groups
All-time high
50.02 million
in 2024
All-time low
10.96 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, primary education, female in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, primary education, female in UNICEF: West and Central Africa is 50.02 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 27.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, female in UNICEF: West and Central Africa peaked at 50.02 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 10.96 million, in 1970.
UNICEF: West and Central Africa ranks 82nd of 221 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
School age population, primary education, female in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 10.96 million | — |
| 1971 | 11.28 million | +3.0% |
| 1972 | 11.62 million | +3.0% |
| 1973 | 11.97 million | +3.0% |
| 1974 | 12.33 million | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 12.69 million | +2.9% |
| 1976 | 13.07 million | +3.0% |
| 1977 | 13.46 million | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 13.87 million | +3.0% |
| 1979 | 14.31 million | +3.2% |
| 1980 | 14.76 million | +3.1% |
| 1981 | 15.25 million | +3.3% |
| 1982 | 15.75 million | +3.3% |
| 1983 | 16.29 million | +3.4% |
| 1984 | 16.82 million | +3.2% |
| 1985 | 17.40 million | +3.5% |
| 1986 | 17.98 million | +3.3% |
| 1987 | 18.56 million | +3.2% |
| 1988 | 19.14 million | +3.1% |
| 1989 | 19.73 million | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 20.33 million | +3.0% |
| 1991 | 20.87 million | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 21.42 million | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 22.00 million | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 22.55 million | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 23.14 million | +2.6% |
| 1996 | 23.72 million | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 24.24 million | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 24.87 million | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 25.53 million | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 26.19 million | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 26.89 million | +2.7% |
| 2002 | 27.66 million | +2.9% |
| 2003 | 28.44 million | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 29.23 million | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 30.03 million | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 30.91 million | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 31.87 million | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 32.84 million | +3.0% |
| 2009 | 33.78 million | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 34.82 million | +3.1% |
| 2011 | 35.88 million | +3.0% |
| 2012 | 36.95 million | +3.0% |
| 2013 | 38.05 million | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 39.19 million | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 40.43 million | +3.2% |
| 2016 | 41.68 million | +3.1% |
| 2017 | 42.98 million | +3.1% |
| 2018 | 44.24 million | +2.9% |
| 2019 | 45.44 million | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 46.60 million | +2.5% |
| 2021 | 47.74 million | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 48.79 million | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 49.72 million | +1.9% |
| 2024 | 50.02 million | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 12.56 million | 10.96 million | 14.31 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 17.17 million | 14.76 million | 19.73 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.87 million | 20.33 million | 25.53 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 29.79 million | 26.19 million | 33.78 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 39.97 million | 34.82 million | 45.44 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 48.57 million | 46.60 million | 50.02 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: West and Central Africa
- 79 Ukraine 706,382 compare
- 80 Papua New Guinea 669,641 compare
- 81 Honduras 639,623 compare
- 82 Sierra Leone 639,047 compare
- 83 Tunisia 619,246 compare
- 84 Dominican Republic 559,399 compare
- 85 Jordan 559,182 compare
More education data for UNICEF: West and Central Africa
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 8.34 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.5737 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 20.41 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.9224 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 22.91 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.5411 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.73 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 2.11 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.18 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.64 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, primary education, female in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- School age population, primary education, female in UNICEF: West and Central Africa was 50.02 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, female recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 50.02 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, female recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.96 million in 1970.
- How does UNICEF: West and Central Africa rank for school age population, primary education, female?
- UNICEF: West and Central Africa ranks 82nd out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, primary education, female rising or falling in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: West and Central Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, primary education, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release