Secondary education, general pupils in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Secondary education, general pupils was 3.04 million in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Secondary education, general pupils in Afghanistan, 1970–2018
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for secondary education, general pupils in Afghanistan is 3.04 million, measured in 2018. That is the highest value across all 39 years on record.
The figure is up 5.8% on the previous year and up 114.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, secondary education, general pupils in Afghanistan peaked at 3.04 million in 2018 and was at its lowest, 107,609, in 1970.
That places Afghanistan 30th out of 204 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Secondary education, general pupils in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 107,609 | — |
| 1971 | 127,162 | +18.2% |
| 1972 | 146,988 | +15.6% |
| 1973 | 159,464 | +8.5% |
| 1974 | 167,397 | +5.0% |
| 1975 | 179,763 | +7.4% |
| 1976 | 196,991 | +9.6% |
| 1977 | 211,187 | +7.2% |
| 1978 | 224,531 | +6.3% |
| 1980 | 280,898 | +25.1% |
| 1981 | 318,403 | +13.4% |
| 1982 | 178,423 | -44.0% |
| 1984 | 198,337 | +11.2% |
| 1985 | 206,381 | +4.1% |
| 1986 | 187,745 | -9.0% |
| 1988 | 205,392 | +9.4% |
| 1989 | 202,572 | -1.4% |
| 1990 | 182,340 | -10.0% |
| 1991 | 281,928 | +54.6% |
| 1993 | 332,170 | +17.8% |
| 1994 | 497,762 | +49.9% |
| 1995 | 512,851 | +3.0% |
| 2001 | 362,415 | -29.3% |
| 2002 | 395,223 | +9.1% |
| 2003 | 405,002 | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 591,541 | +46.1% |
| 2005 | 642,442 | +8.6% |
| 2007 | 1.03 million | +60.1% |
| 2008 | 1.42 million | +37.6% |
| 2009 | 1.69 million | +19.7% |
| 2010 | 2.03 million | +20.0% |
| 2011 | 2.19 million | +7.8% |
| 2012 | 2.39 million | +9.2% |
| 2013 | 2.51 million | +4.9% |
| 2014 | 2.58 million | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 2.62 million | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 2.70 million | +2.9% |
| 2017 | 2.88 million | +6.5% |
| 2018 | 3.04 million | +5.8% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 3.04 million is above the median for low income countries, which is 918,775, 3.3× the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 3.04 million is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 766,641, 4.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Secondary education, general pupils in Afghanistan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | -44.0% | 318,403 | 178,423 |
| 2007 | +60.1% | 642,442 | 1.03 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 169,010 | 107,609 | 224,531 | 9 |
| 1980s | 222,269 | 178,423 | 318,403 | 8 |
| 1990s | 361,410 | 182,340 | 512,851 | 5 |
| 2000s | 816,722 | 362,415 | 1.69 million | 8 |
| 2010s | 2.55 million | 2.03 million | 3.04 million | 9 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
- 27 Democratic Republic of Congo 3.75 million compare
- 28 Nepal 3.42 million compare
- 29 Saudi Arabia 3.09 million compare
- 31 Italy 3.04 million compare
- 32 South Korea 2.78 million compare
- 33 Ghana 2.77 million compare
More education data for Afghanistan
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 88,020 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 343,942 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 13,837 (2003)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 10,383 (2003)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.43 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.51 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.56 % change on previous year (2019)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1811 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is secondary education, general pupils in Afghanistan?
- Secondary education, general pupils in Afghanistan was 3.04 million in 2018, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest secondary education, general pupils recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 3.04 million in 2018.
- What is the lowest secondary education, general pupils recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 107,609 in 1970.
- How does Afghanistan rank for secondary education, general pupils?
- Afghanistan ranks 30th out of 204 countries with data for 2018.
- Is secondary education, general pupils rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 114.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Secondary education, general pupils. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Secondary general pupils are the number of secondary students enrolled in general education programs, including teacher training.