School-age population (primary level) in Syria
Syria: School-age population (primary level) was 2.55 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
2.55 million
Change on year
down 4.4%
World rank
16th
of 72 countries
All-time high
3.40 million
in 2019
All-time low
1.12 million
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
School-age population in Syria, 1970–2025
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
Syria recorded 2.55 million for school-age population in 2025.
The figure is down 4.4% on the previous year and down 21.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school-age population in Syria peaked at 3.40 million in 2019 and was at its lowest, 1.12 million, in 1970.
Syria ranks 16th of 72 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
School-age population (primary level) in Syria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.12 million | — |
| 1971 | 1.16 million | +3.7% |
| 1972 | 1.20 million | +3.7% |
| 1973 | 1.25 million | +3.6% |
| 1974 | 1.29 million | +3.6% |
| 1975 | 1.34 million | +3.6% |
| 1976 | 1.39 million | +3.7% |
| 1977 | 1.44 million | +3.8% |
| 1978 | 1.49 million | +3.7% |
| 1979 | 1.55 million | +3.6% |
| 1980 | 1.60 million | +3.6% |
| 1981 | 1.66 million | +3.6% |
| 1982 | 1.72 million | +3.6% |
| 1983 | 1.78 million | +3.6% |
| 1984 | 1.85 million | +3.7% |
| 1985 | 1.91 million | +3.6% |
| 1986 | 1.98 million | +3.4% |
| 1987 | 2.04 million | +3.2% |
| 1988 | 2.10 million | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 2.16 million | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 2.21 million | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 2.27 million | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 2.33 million | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 2.40 million | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 2.46 million | +2.8% |
| 1995 | 2.53 million | +2.6% |
| 1996 | 2.58 million | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 2.63 million | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 2.66 million | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 2.69 million | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 2.71 million | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 2.74 million | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 2.77 million | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 1.90 million | -31.5% |
| 2004 | 1.92 million | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 1.94 million | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 1.96 million | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 1.99 million | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 2.04 million | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 2.06 million | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 2.08 million | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 2.10 million | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 2.12 million | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 2.14 million | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 3.19 million | +49.0% |
| 2015 | 3.25 million | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 3.29 million | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 3.35 million | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 3.38 million | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 3.40 million | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 3.34 million | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 3.19 million | -4.6% |
| 2022 | 3.01 million | -5.7% |
| 2023 | 2.83 million | -6.0% |
| 2024 | 2.67 million | -5.7% |
| 2025 | 2.55 million | -4.4% |
Syria compared with similar countries
- Syria's 2.55 million is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.15 million, 2.2× the median. (19 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where School-age population (primary level) in Syria 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | +49.0% | 2.14 million | 3.19 million |
| 2003 | -31.5% | 2.77 million | 1.90 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.32 million | 1.12 million | 1.55 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.88 million | 1.60 million | 2.16 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.48 million | 2.21 million | 2.69 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.20 million | 1.90 million | 2.77 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.83 million | 2.08 million | 3.40 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.93 million | 2.55 million | 3.34 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Syria
More education data for Syria
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 78.55 (2024)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 78.19 (2024)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 54,596 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 90,421 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 75,782 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 72,747 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.36 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.17 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.0055 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school-age population in Syria?
- School-age population in Syria was 2.55 million in 2025, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest school-age population recorded in Syria?
- The highest recorded value was 3.40 million in 2019.
- What is the lowest school-age population recorded in Syria?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.12 million in 1970.
- How does Syria rank for school-age population?
- Syria ranks 16th out of 72 countries with data for 2025.
- Is school-age population rising or falling in Syria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Syria data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of School-age population (primary level). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required).