School age population, tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia

SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia: School age population, tertiary education, both sexes was 47.43 million in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
47.43 million
Change on year
up 1.3%
Rank
122nd
of 221 groups
All-time high
47.43 million
in 2024
All-time low
23.68 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024

School age population, tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia, 1970–2024

010.0M20.0M30.0M40.0M50.0M197019972024

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

In 2024, school age population, tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia stood at 47.43 million. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.

That represents a change of up 1.3% on the previous year and up 8.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, school age population, tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia peaked at 47.43 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 23.68 million, in 1970.

That places SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia 122nd out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.

School age population, tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia, year by year

Annual values for School age population, tertiary education, both sexes (number) in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia, 1970 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1970 23.68 million
1971 24.16 million +2.0%
1972 24.47 million +1.3%
1973 24.91 million +1.8%
1974 25.31 million +1.6%
1975 25.71 million +1.6%
1976 26.01 million +1.2%
1977 26.30 million +1.1%
1978 26.65 million +1.3%
1979 27.02 million +1.4%
1980 27.40 million +1.4%
1981 27.88 million +1.8%
1982 28.38 million +1.8%
1983 28.85 million +1.6%
1984 29.33 million +1.7%
1985 29.82 million +1.7%
1986 30.24 million +1.4%
1987 30.63 million +1.3%
1988 31.03 million +1.3%
1989 31.53 million +1.6%
1990 32.11 million +1.9%
1991 32.47 million +1.1%
1992 32.95 million +1.5%
1993 33.43 million +1.5%
1994 33.99 million +1.7%
1995 34.48 million +1.5%
1996 35.04 million +1.6%
1997 35.65 million +1.7%
1998 36.36 million +2.0%
1999 37.13 million +2.1%
2000 37.89 million +2.0%
2001 38.76 million +2.3%
2002 39.59 million +2.2%
2003 40.34 million +1.9%
2004 41.02 million +1.7%
2005 41.47 million +1.1%
2006 42.11 million +1.5%
2007 42.65 million +1.3%
2008 43.22 million +1.3%
2009 43.68 million +1.1%
2010 43.94 million +0.6%
2011 44.10 million +0.4%
2012 44.04 million -0.1%
2013 43.97 million -0.2%
2014 43.73 million -0.5%
2015 43.58 million -0.3%
2016 43.64 million +0.1%
2017 43.70 million +0.1%
2018 43.97 million +0.6%
2019 44.37 million +0.9%
2020 45.07 million +1.6%
2021 45.45 million +0.8%
2022 46.03 million +1.3%
2023 46.83 million +1.7%
2024 47.43 million +1.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 25.42 million 23.68 million 27.02 million 10
1980s 29.51 million 27.40 million 31.53 million 10
1990s 34.36 million 32.11 million 37.13 million 10
2000s 41.07 million 37.89 million 43.68 million 10
2010s 43.90 million 43.58 million 44.37 million 10
2020s 46.16 million 45.07 million 47.43 million 5

Countries ranked near SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia

  1. 119 Panama 361,542 compare
  2. 120 Serbia 351,991 compare
  3. 121 Norway 330,553 compare
  4. 122 Ireland 329,317 compare
  5. 123 New Zealand 325,420 compare
  6. 124 Oman 323,916 compare
  7. 125 Finland 307,157 compare

See the full ranking of 442 places →

More education data for SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia

All data for SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia →

Frequently asked questions

What is school age population, tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
School age population, tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia was 47.43 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest school age population, tertiary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
The highest recorded value was 47.43 million in 2024.
What is the lowest school age population, tertiary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
The lowest recorded value was 23.68 million in 1970.
How does SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia rank for school age population, tertiary education, both sexes?
SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia ranks 122nd out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
Is school age population, tertiary education, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
Over the last ten years it is up 8.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia 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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School age population, tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 15 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/school-age-population-tertiary-education-both-sexes-number-2/sdg-northern-africa-and-western-asia/

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About this data

Indicator
School age population, tertiary education, both sexes (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
442 places, 20,404 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release