School age population, tertiary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa
UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa: School age population, tertiary education, both sexes was 40.59 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
40.59 million
Change on year
up 1.7%
Rank
130th
of 221 groups
All-time high
41.58 million
in 2009
All-time low
15.92 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, tertiary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, tertiary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa is 40.59 million, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 1.7% on the previous year and up 3.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, tertiary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa peaked at 41.58 million in 2009 and was at its lowest, 15.92 million, in 1970.
UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa ranks 130th 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, tertiary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 15.92 million | — |
| 1971 | 16.55 million | +4.0% |
| 1972 | 17.12 million | +3.4% |
| 1973 | 17.64 million | +3.1% |
| 1974 | 18.14 million | +2.8% |
| 1975 | 18.64 million | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 19.06 million | +2.2% |
| 1977 | 19.44 million | +2.0% |
| 1978 | 19.76 million | +1.6% |
| 1979 | 20.23 million | +2.4% |
| 1980 | 20.72 million | +2.4% |
| 1981 | 21.31 million | +2.9% |
| 1982 | 22.14 million | +3.9% |
| 1983 | 22.69 million | +2.5% |
| 1984 | 23.28 million | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 23.88 million | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 24.43 million | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 24.98 million | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 25.53 million | +2.2% |
| 1989 | 26.13 million | +2.3% |
| 1990 | 26.80 million | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 27.27 million | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 27.82 million | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 28.35 million | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 28.77 million | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 29.47 million | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 30.31 million | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 31.30 million | +3.3% |
| 1998 | 32.51 million | +3.9% |
| 1999 | 33.71 million | +3.7% |
| 2000 | 34.89 million | +3.5% |
| 2001 | 36.13 million | +3.6% |
| 2002 | 37.32 million | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 38.23 million | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 39.18 million | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 39.82 million | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 40.53 million | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 41.03 million | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 41.43 million | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 41.58 million | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 41.48 million | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 41.26 million | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 40.74 million | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 40.14 million | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 39.34 million | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 38.59 million | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 38.08 million | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 37.73 million | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 37.62 million | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 37.81 million | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 38.28 million | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 38.61 million | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 39.18 million | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 39.92 million | +1.9% |
| 2024 | 40.59 million | +1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 18.25 million | 15.92 million | 20.23 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 23.51 million | 20.72 million | 26.13 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 29.63 million | 26.80 million | 33.71 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 39.01 million | 34.89 million | 41.58 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 39.28 million | 37.62 million | 41.48 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 39.31 million | 38.28 million | 40.59 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa
More education data for UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 6.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 21.65 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.17 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 23.21 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.71 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 6.49 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -0.5257 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 17.53 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 8.61 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 6.11 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, tertiary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa?
- School age population, tertiary education, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa was 40.59 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, tertiary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 41.58 million in 2009.
- What is the lowest school age population, tertiary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.92 million in 1970.
- How does UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa rank for school age population, tertiary education, both sexes?
- UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa ranks 130th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, tertiary education, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa 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