School age population, secondary education, both sexes in China
China: School age population, secondary education, both sexes was 99.10 million number in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
99.10 million number
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
2nd
of 205 countries
All-time high
158.75 million number
in 1985
All-time low
70.41 million number
in 1972
Years of data
51
1970–2020
School age population, secondary education, both sexes in China, 1970–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
China recorded 99.10 million number for school age population, secondary education, both sexes in 2020.
The figure is down 11.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, secondary education, both sexes in China peaked at 158.75 million number in 1985 and was at its lowest, 70.41 million number, in 1972.
China ranks 2nd of 205 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
School age population, secondary education, both sexes in China, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 73.73 million number | — |
| 1971 | 71.49 million number | -3.0% |
| 1972 | 70.41 million number | -1.5% |
| 1973 | 71.08 million number | +1.0% |
| 1974 | 73.38 million number | +3.2% |
| 1975 | 76.73 million number | +4.6% |
| 1976 | 80.46 million number | +4.9% |
| 1977 | 103.11 million number | +28.2% |
| 1978 | 126.89 million number | +23.1% |
| 1979 | 133.04 million number | +4.8% |
| 1980 | 139.35 million number | +4.7% |
| 1981 | 145.62 million number | +4.5% |
| 1982 | 151.28 million number | +3.9% |
| 1983 | 155.26 million number | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 157.66 million number | +1.5% |
| 1985 | 158.75 million number | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 158.32 million number | -0.3% |
| 1987 | 155.85 million number | -1.6% |
| 1988 | 151.93 million number | -2.5% |
| 1989 | 147.01 million number | -3.2% |
| 1990 | 141.06 million number | -4.0% |
| 1991 | 134.37 million number | -4.7% |
| 1992 | 127.53 million number | -5.1% |
| 1993 | 122.52 million number | -3.9% |
| 1994 | 119.22 million number | -2.7% |
| 1995 | 117.06 million number | -1.8% |
| 1996 | 116.31 million number | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 118.81 million number | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 122.85 million number | +3.4% |
| 1999 | 128.07 million number | +4.2% |
| 2000 | 135.23 million number | +5.6% |
| 2001 | 143.99 million number | +6.5% |
| 2002 | 150.49 million number | +4.5% |
| 2003 | 153.88 million number | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 153.80 million number | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 149.83 million number | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 141.87 million number | -5.3% |
| 2007 | 132.61 million number | -6.5% |
| 2008 | 124.15 million number | -6.4% |
| 2009 | 117.48 million number | -5.4% |
| 2010 | 112.53 million number | -4.2% |
| 2011 | 109.47 million number | -2.7% |
| 2012 | 107.64 million number | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 106.16 million number | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 104.53 million number | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 102.96 million number | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 101.49 million number | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 100.28 million number | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 99.48 million number | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 99.11 million number | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 99.10 million number | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 88.03 million number | 70.41 million number | 133.04 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 152.10 million number | 139.35 million number | 158.75 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 124.78 million number | 116.31 million number | 141.06 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 140.33 million number | 117.48 million number | 153.88 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 104.36 million number | 99.11 million number | 112.53 million number | 10 |
| 2020s | 99.10 million number | 99.10 million number | 99.10 million number | 1 |
Countries ranked near China
More education data for China
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of secondary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,023 tertiary education (2024)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0495 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 6.74 million (2024)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 69.7% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 15.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, secondary education, both sexes in China?
- School age population, secondary education, both sexes in China was 99.10 million number in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, secondary education, both sexes recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 158.75 million number in 1985.
- What is the lowest school age population, secondary education, both sexes recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 70.41 million number in 1972.
- How does China rank for school age population, secondary education, both sexes?
- China ranks 2nd out of 205 countries with data for 2020.
- Is school age population, secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China 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.
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About this data
Population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to secondary education as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.