School age population, secondary education, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries
SDG: Least Developed Countries: School age population, secondary education, both sexes was 161.93 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
161.93 million
Change on year
up 0.6%
Rank
59th
of 221 groups
All-time high
161.93 million
in 2024
All-time low
45.51 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, secondary education, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, school age population, secondary education, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries stood at 161.93 million. 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 22.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, secondary education, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries peaked at 161.93 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 45.51 million, in 1970.
SDG: Least Developed Countries ranks 59th 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, secondary education, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 45.51 million | — |
| 1971 | 46.69 million | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 47.94 million | +2.7% |
| 1973 | 49.36 million | +3.0% |
| 1974 | 50.75 million | +2.8% |
| 1975 | 52.20 million | +2.9% |
| 1976 | 53.39 million | +2.3% |
| 1977 | 54.30 million | +1.7% |
| 1978 | 55.42 million | +2.1% |
| 1979 | 56.67 million | +2.3% |
| 1980 | 57.92 million | +2.2% |
| 1981 | 59.31 million | +2.4% |
| 1982 | 59.64 million | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 61.25 million | +2.7% |
| 1984 | 63.50 million | +3.7% |
| 1985 | 65.32 million | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 67.03 million | +2.6% |
| 1987 | 68.64 million | +2.4% |
| 1988 | 70.33 million | +2.5% |
| 1989 | 72.02 million | +2.4% |
| 1990 | 73.76 million | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 75.40 million | +2.2% |
| 1992 | 77.38 million | +2.6% |
| 1993 | 79.77 million | +3.1% |
| 1994 | 82.30 million | +3.2% |
| 1995 | 85.00 million | +3.3% |
| 1996 | 87.41 million | +2.8% |
| 1997 | 89.10 million | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 92.22 million | +3.5% |
| 1999 | 94.38 million | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 96.46 million | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 98.42 million | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 100.82 million | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 103.46 million | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 105.98 million | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 108.42 million | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 111.04 million | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 112.98 million | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 115.48 million | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 118.17 million | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 120.92 million | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 123.85 million | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 126.72 million | +2.3% |
| 2013 | 130.25 million | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 132.69 million | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 135.67 million | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 138.51 million | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 141.16 million | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 143.88 million | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 146.72 million | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 150.84 million | +2.8% |
| 2021 | 154.07 million | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 157.21 million | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 160.93 million | +2.4% |
| 2024 | 161.93 million | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 51.22 million | 45.51 million | 56.67 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 64.50 million | 57.92 million | 72.02 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 83.67 million | 73.76 million | 94.38 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 107.12 million | 96.46 million | 118.17 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 134.04 million | 120.92 million | 146.72 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 157.00 million | 150.84 million | 161.93 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Least Developed Countries
- 56 Saudi Arabia 3.08 million compare
- 57 Senegal 3.02 million compare
- 58 Sri Lanka 2.86 million compare
- 59 Peru 2.84 million compare
- 60 Republic of Korea 2.76 million compare
- 61 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 2.75 million compare
- 62 Canada 2.73 million compare
More education data for SDG: Least Developed Countries
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) -0.1094 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 12.39 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 0.3263 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.81 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 22.98 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.12 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.32 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 39.55 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.7494 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 5.49 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, secondary education, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- School age population, secondary education, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries was 161.93 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, secondary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- The highest recorded value was 161.93 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, secondary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.51 million in 1970.
- How does SDG: Least Developed Countries rank for school age population, secondary education, both sexes?
- SDG: Least Developed Countries ranks 59th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: Least Developed Countries data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, secondary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release