School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes was 2.88 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
2.88 million
Change on year
up 2.0%
World rank
26th
of 220 countries
All-time high
2.88 million
in 2025
All-time low
658,282
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in Afghanistan, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
Afghanistan recorded 2.88 million for school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 21.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in Afghanistan peaked at 2.88 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 658,282, in 1970.
That places Afghanistan 26th out of 220 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 658,282 | — |
| 1971 | 677,066 | +2.9% |
| 1972 | 695,967 | +2.8% |
| 1973 | 716,196 | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 737,398 | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 758,135 | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 778,097 | +2.6% |
| 1977 | 796,678 | +2.4% |
| 1978 | 816,077 | +2.4% |
| 1979 | 833,856 | +2.2% |
| 1980 | 827,409 | -0.8% |
| 1981 | 781,646 | -5.5% |
| 1982 | 683,728 | -12.5% |
| 1983 | 673,491 | -1.5% |
| 1984 | 683,886 | +1.5% |
| 1985 | 719,421 | +5.2% |
| 1986 | 727,941 | +1.2% |
| 1987 | 729,971 | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 732,027 | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 753,021 | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 780,417 | +3.6% |
| 1991 | 777,076 | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 804,243 | +3.5% |
| 1993 | 906,154 | +12.7% |
| 1994 | 1.01 million | +11.3% |
| 1995 | 1.06 million | +4.9% |
| 1996 | 1.09 million | +3.3% |
| 1997 | 1.13 million | +3.1% |
| 1998 | 1.16 million | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 1.19 million | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 1.22 million | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 1.20 million | -1.9% |
| 2002 | 1.23 million | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 1.35 million | +9.1% |
| 2004 | 1.43 million | +6.3% |
| 2005 | 1.49 million | +3.9% |
| 2006 | 1.57 million | +5.9% |
| 2007 | 1.65 million | +5.1% |
| 2008 | 1.68 million | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 1.79 million | +6.2% |
| 2010 | 1.88 million | +5.2% |
| 2011 | 1.97 million | +4.6% |
| 2012 | 2.09 million | +6.1% |
| 2013 | 2.18 million | +4.6% |
| 2014 | 2.27 million | +4.0% |
| 2015 | 2.37 million | +4.4% |
| 2016 | 2.43 million | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 2.50 million | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 2.57 million | +2.8% |
| 2019 | 2.64 million | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 2.70 million | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 2.77 million | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 2.78 million | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 2.78 million | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 2.83 million | +1.6% |
| 2025 | 2.88 million | +2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 746,775 | 658,282 | 833,856 | 10 |
| 1980s | 731,254 | 673,491 | 827,409 | 10 |
| 1990s | 989,938 | 777,076 | 1.19 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.46 million | 1.20 million | 1.79 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.29 million | 1.88 million | 2.64 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.79 million | 2.70 million | 2.88 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More education data for Afghanistan
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.16 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 5.53 % change on previous year (2018)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 24,220 (2003)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 5.89 % change on previous year (1986)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 430,980 (2020)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.48 % change on previous year (2004)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 67,949 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 95,218 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 115,568 (2020)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 5.48 % change on previous year (2004)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in Afghanistan?
- School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in Afghanistan was 2.88 million in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 2.88 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 658,282 in 1970.
- How does Afghanistan rank for school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes?
- Afghanistan ranks 26th out of 220 countries with data for 2025.
- Is school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release