School age population, tertiary education, both sexes (number) in ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405)
ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405): School age population, tertiary education, both sexes (number) was 139.05 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
139.05 million
Change on year
up 1.0%
Rank
39th
of 221 groups
All-time high
139.05 million
in 2024
All-time low
33.59 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, tertiary education, both sexes in ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405), 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, tertiary education, both sexes in ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405) is 139.05 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 25.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, tertiary education, both sexes in ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405) peaked at 139.05 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 33.59 million, in 1970.
That places ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405) 39th out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
School age population, tertiary education, both sexes (number) in ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 33.59 million | — |
| 1971 | 34.42 million | +2.5% |
| 1972 | 35.15 million | +2.1% |
| 1973 | 36.12 million | +2.8% |
| 1974 | 37.17 million | +2.9% |
| 1975 | 38.29 million | +3.0% |
| 1976 | 39.34 million | +2.7% |
| 1977 | 40.41 million | +2.7% |
| 1978 | 41.53 million | +2.8% |
| 1979 | 42.78 million | +3.0% |
| 1980 | 44.04 million | +3.0% |
| 1981 | 45.39 million | +3.1% |
| 1982 | 46.83 million | +3.2% |
| 1983 | 48.32 million | +3.2% |
| 1984 | 49.65 million | +2.7% |
| 1985 | 51.15 million | +3.0% |
| 1986 | 52.84 million | +3.3% |
| 1987 | 54.34 million | +2.8% |
| 1988 | 55.91 million | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 57.71 million | +3.2% |
| 1990 | 59.56 million | +3.2% |
| 1991 | 61.31 million | +2.9% |
| 1992 | 63.00 million | +2.8% |
| 1993 | 64.77 million | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 66.38 million | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 68.82 million | +3.7% |
| 1996 | 70.77 million | +2.8% |
| 1997 | 72.62 million | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 74.85 million | +3.1% |
| 1999 | 77.27 million | +3.2% |
| 2000 | 79.61 million | +3.0% |
| 2001 | 81.95 million | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 84.31 million | +2.9% |
| 2003 | 86.65 million | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 89.06 million | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 91.26 million | +2.5% |
| 2006 | 93.60 million | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 95.74 million | +2.3% |
| 2008 | 97.89 million | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 99.98 million | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 102.03 million | +2.1% |
| 2011 | 104.06 million | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 106.06 million | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 108.39 million | +2.2% |
| 2014 | 110.54 million | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 112.84 million | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 115.33 million | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 117.77 million | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 120.64 million | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 123.65 million | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 126.87 million | +2.6% |
| 2021 | 130.35 million | +2.7% |
| 2022 | 134.00 million | +2.8% |
| 2023 | 137.60 million | +2.7% |
| 2024 | 139.05 million | +1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 37.88 million | 33.59 million | 42.78 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 50.62 million | 44.04 million | 57.71 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 67.93 million | 59.56 million | 77.27 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 90.00 million | 79.61 million | 99.98 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 112.13 million | 102.03 million | 123.65 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 133.57 million | 126.87 million | 139.05 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405)
More education data for ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 1.99 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 50.51 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.35 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 54.20 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.87 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 29.65 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 2.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 19.22 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 3.29 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 9.24 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, tertiary education, both sexes in ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405)?
- School age population, tertiary education, both sexes in ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405) was 139.05 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, tertiary education, both sexes recorded in ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405)?
- The highest recorded value was 139.05 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, tertiary education, both sexes recorded in ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405)?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.59 million in 1970.
- How does ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405) rank for school age population, tertiary education, both sexes?
- ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405) ranks 39th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, tertiary education, both sexes rising or falling in ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this ESCAP: Africa (afr) (unsdcode:98405) data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, tertiary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release