School age population, primary education, female in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: School age population, primary education, female was 89.59 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising
Latest (2019)
89.59 million number
Change on year
up 2.2%
Rank
9th
of 43 groups
All-time high
89.59 million number
in 2019
All-time low
24.94 million number
in 1970
Years of data
50
1970–2019
School age population, primary education, female in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1970–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, primary education, female in Sub-Saharan Africa is 89.59 million number, measured in 2019. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.2% on the previous year and up 29.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, female in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 89.59 million number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 24.94 million number, in 1970.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 9th of 43 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
School age population, primary education, female in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 24.94 million number | — |
| 1971 | 25.54 million number | +2.4% |
| 1972 | 26.24 million number | +2.7% |
| 1973 | 26.91 million number | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 27.63 million number | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 28.18 million number | +2.0% |
| 1976 | 28.84 million number | +2.4% |
| 1977 | 29.51 million number | +2.3% |
| 1978 | 30.35 million number | +2.8% |
| 1979 | 31.23 million number | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 32.09 million number | +2.7% |
| 1981 | 32.97 million number | +2.7% |
| 1982 | 33.97 million number | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 34.99 million number | +3.0% |
| 1984 | 36.05 million number | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 37.09 million number | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 38.11 million number | +2.8% |
| 1987 | 39.48 million number | +3.6% |
| 1988 | 40.70 million number | +3.1% |
| 1989 | 41.92 million number | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 43.09 million number | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 44.21 million number | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 45.41 million number | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 46.65 million number | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 47.85 million number | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 48.94 million number | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 49.99 million number | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 51.29 million number | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 52.66 million number | +2.7% |
| 1999 | 53.75 million number | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 54.86 million number | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 55.99 million number | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 57.27 million number | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 58.67 million number | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 60.18 million number | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 61.72 million number | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 63.29 million number | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 65.58 million number | +3.6% |
| 2008 | 67.40 million number | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 69.29 million number | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 71.20 million number | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 73.11 million number | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 75.11 million number | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 77.20 million number | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 79.31 million number | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 81.42 million number | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 83.48 million number | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 85.58 million number | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 87.68 million number | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 89.59 million number | +2.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 27.94 million number | 24.94 million number | 31.23 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 36.74 million number | 32.09 million number | 41.92 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 48.38 million number | 43.09 million number | 53.75 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 61.43 million number | 54.86 million number | 69.29 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 80.37 million number | 71.20 million number | 89.59 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 6 United States 12.06 million number compare
- 7 Ethiopia 8.45 million number compare
- 8 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 7.52 million number compare
- 9 Bangladesh 7.21 million number compare
- 10 Philippines 6.57 million number compare
- 11 Mexico 6.55 million number compare
- 12 Egypt 6.37 million number compare
More education data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 5.14 million (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 40.4% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 56.4% (2025)
- School enrollment, primary 97.1% (2024)
- Primary education, teachers 5.14 million (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per capita 0.004 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female 96.0% (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, male 98.2% (2024)
- Labor force, total 526.96 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, primary education, female in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- School age population, primary education, female in Sub-Saharan Africa was 89.59 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, female recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 89.59 million number in 2019.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, female recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.94 million number in 1970.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for school age population, primary education, female?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 9th out of 43 groups with data for 2019.
- Is school age population, primary education, female rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.3%. 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, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Female population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to primary education as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.