School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries
SDG: Least Developed Countries: School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes was 74.48 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
74.48 million
Change on year
up 0.7%
Rank
59th
of 221 groups
All-time high
74.48 million
in 2024
All-time low
19.46 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries is 74.48 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 21.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries peaked at 74.48 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 19.46 million, in 1970.
That places SDG: Least Developed Countries 59th 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, upper secondary education, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 19.46 million | — |
| 1971 | 19.94 million | +2.5% |
| 1972 | 20.42 million | +2.4% |
| 1973 | 20.92 million | +2.4% |
| 1974 | 21.47 million | +2.6% |
| 1975 | 22.09 million | +2.9% |
| 1976 | 22.64 million | +2.5% |
| 1977 | 22.94 million | +1.3% |
| 1978 | 23.44 million | +2.2% |
| 1979 | 23.96 million | +2.2% |
| 1980 | 24.47 million | +2.1% |
| 1981 | 25.14 million | +2.8% |
| 1982 | 25.35 million | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 26.04 million | +2.7% |
| 1984 | 27.25 million | +4.6% |
| 1985 | 28.17 million | +3.4% |
| 1986 | 28.87 million | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 29.51 million | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 30.24 million | +2.5% |
| 1989 | 31.04 million | +2.7% |
| 1990 | 31.83 million | +2.5% |
| 1991 | 32.52 million | +2.2% |
| 1992 | 33.30 million | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 33.75 million | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 34.85 million | +3.3% |
| 1995 | 36.10 million | +3.6% |
| 1996 | 37.29 million | +3.3% |
| 1997 | 37.93 million | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 43.24 million | +14.0% |
| 1999 | 43.85 million | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 44.84 million | +2.3% |
| 2001 | 45.66 million | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 46.66 million | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 47.81 million | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 48.97 million | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 50.15 million | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 51.31 million | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 52.41 million | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 53.48 million | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 54.70 million | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 55.85 million | +2.1% |
| 2011 | 57.32 million | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 58.60 million | +2.2% |
| 2013 | 60.29 million | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 61.40 million | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 62.91 million | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 64.32 million | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 65.80 million | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 66.98 million | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 68.12 million | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 69.41 million | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 70.92 million | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 72.51 million | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 73.97 million | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 74.48 million | +0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 21.73 million | 19.46 million | 23.96 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 27.61 million | 24.47 million | 31.04 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 36.46 million | 31.83 million | 43.85 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 49.60 million | 44.84 million | 54.70 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 62.16 million | 55.85 million | 68.12 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 72.26 million | 69.41 million | 74.48 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Least Developed Countries
- 56 South Korea 1.38 million compare
- 57 Canada 1.38 million compare
- 58 Burundi 1.36 million compare
- 59 Chad 1.35 million compare
- 60 South Sudan 1.28 million compare
- 61 Senegal 1.24 million compare
- 62 Uzbekistan 1.24 million compare
More education data for SDG: Least Developed Countries
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.32 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 0.8795 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 6.90 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 5.49 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.12 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) -0.1094 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 0.3263 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.4194 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.9747 % change on previous year (2024)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 93.3% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries was 74.48 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- The highest recorded value was 74.48 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.46 million in 1970.
- How does SDG: Least Developed Countries rank for school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes?
- SDG: Least Developed Countries ranks 59th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: Least Developed Countries 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.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release