Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number) by country
February 2026 Data Release
Countries reporting
216
Highest
6.74 million
China
Lowest
12
Niue
Median
28,996
Years covered
56
1970–2025
Data points
18,918
What the numbers show
Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number) is currently reported for 216 countries. The highest value is 6.74 million in China; the lowest is 12 in Niue.
The median across all reporting countries is 28,996, and the mean is 153,709.
Over the past decade 144 countries rose and 68 fell. The largest increase was in Micronesia (country) (up 2,318.8%), and the largest decrease in Falkland Islands (down 53.1%).
Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number): full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 6.74 million | 2024 | up 15.0% | rising |
| 2 | India | 5.19 million | 2025 | up 18.0% | rising |
| 3 | United States | 1.78 million | 2023 | up 5.5% | rising |
| 4 | Indonesia | 1.51 million | 2025 | down 16.2% | rising |
| 5 | Nigeria | 913,305 | 2021 | up 59.1% | rising |
| 6 | Brazil | 696,748 | 2024 | down 12.4% | rising |
| 7 | Mexico | 571,832 | 2023 | down 0.6% | rising |
| 8 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 561,172 | 2023 | up 65.1% | volatile |
| 9 | Philippines | 527,504 | 2024 | up 12.9% | rising |
| 10 | Egypt | 483,053 | 2024 | down 5.2% | rising |
| 11 | Pakistan | 445,877 | 2024 | up 6.8% | rising |
| 12 | Japan | 440,864 | 2023 | up 8.5% | flat |
| 13 | Bangladesh | 383,624 | 2024 | down 27.3% | rising |
| 14 | Vietnam | 380,535 | 2024 | down 1.7% | rising |
| 15 | Iran | 372,396 | 2023 | up 21.6% | rising |
| 16 | Venezuela | 352,723 | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 17 | Ethiopia | 338,716 | 2024 | up 38.4% | volatile |
| 18 | Russia | 327,102 | 2023 | up 14.8% | flat |
| 19 | Thailand | 305,368 | 2025 | up 1.5% | rising |
| 20 | Turkey | 299,967 | 2023 | up 6.4% | rising |
| 21 | Argentina | 288,776 | 2008 | up 23.3% | rising |
| 22 | South Africa | 287,310 | 2023 | up 30.3% | rising |
| 23 | Iraq | 286,890 | 2007 | up 97.2% | rising |
| 24 | Germany | 283,851 | 2024 | up 22.0% | rising |
| 25 | Kenya | 281,500 | 2023 | up 59.7% | rising |
| 26 | United Kingdom | 281,128 | 2023 | up 12.1% | rising |
| 27 | Malaysia | 273,792 | 2024 | down 1.7% | rising |
| 28 | Italy | 250,961 | 2024 | up 5.8% | flat |
| 29 | Spain | 248,253 | 2024 | up 9.8% | rising |
| 30 | Algeria | 247,748 | 2025 | up 53.1% | rising |
| 31 | Saudi Arabia | 244,652 | 2024 | down 29.6% | rising |
| 32 | Tanzania | 229,840 | 2024 | up 20.4% | rising |
| 33 | France | 229,471 | 2013 | up 12.8% | rising |
| 34 | Myanmar | 217,561 | 2018 | up 22.7% | rising |
| 35 | Uganda | 207,238 | 2017 | up 36.3% | volatile |
| 36 | Peru | 199,824 | 2024 | up 1.0% | rising |
| 37 | Morocco | 189,855 | 2024 | up 20.9% | rising |
| 38 | Colombia | 180,781 | 2022 | down 4.5% | rising |
| 39 | South Korea | 173,133 | 2024 | up 4.4% | rising |
| 40 | Afghanistan | 163,167 | 2023 | up 24.6% | volatile |
| 41 | Nepal | 157,456 | 2025 | down 15.1% | volatile |
| 42 | Yemen | 144,824 | 2016 | up 30.2% | rising |
| 43 | Syria | 144,621 | 2024 | — | rising |
| 44 | Canada | 141,045 | 2000 | down 5.7% | flat |
| 45 | Madagascar | 138,648 | 2024 | up 25.4% | volatile |
| 46 | Poland | 135,357 | 2025 | down 38.4% | falling |
| 47 | Mozambique | 133,644 | 2022 | up 36.8% | volatile |
| 48 | Uzbekistan | 130,601 | 2025 | up 16.4% | rising |
| 49 | Ghana | 122,558 | 2024 | down 10.5% | rising |
| 50 | Guatemala | 122,362 | 2024 | up 16.3% | volatile |
| 51 | Cameroon | 121,453 | 2024 | up 29.6% | volatile |
| 52 | Zambia | 116,859 | 2024 | up 49.1% | volatile |
| 53 | Kazakhstan | 113,317 | 2025 | up 53.5% | rising |
| 54 | Ukraine | 105,694 | 2024 | up 6.4% | flat |
| 55 | Australia | 105,469 | 1999 | up 13.6% | rising |
| 56 | Cote d'Ivoire | 104,418 | 2024 | up 39.8% | volatile |
| 57 | Netherlands | 98,851 | 2024 | down 5.7% | rising |
| 58 | Angola | 96,016 | 2023 | down 18.7% | volatile |
| 59 | Chile | 94,708 | 2024 | up 20.2% | rising |
| 60 | Israel | 92,770 | 2024 | up 30.4% | rising |
| 61 | Burkina Faso | 91,764 | 2024 | up 57.4% | volatile |
| 62 | Zimbabwe | 90,330 | 2024 | up 21.9% | rising |
| 63 | Malawi | 87,834 | 2024 | up 31.6% | rising |
| 64 | Tunisia | 84,596 | 2023 | up 38.7% | rising |
| 65 | Cuba | 82,575 | 2024 | down 1.9% | rising |
| 66 | Belgium | 80,763 | 2023 | up 17.8% | rising |
| 67 | Dominican Republic | 80,321 | 2024 | up 30.3% | rising |
| 68 | Ecuador | 77,432 | 2024 | down 8.6% | rising |
| 69 | Bolivia | 76,710 | 2024 | down 4.3% | rising |
| 70 | Sri Lanka | 73,333 | 2023 | down 1.5% | rising |
| 71 | Senegal | 72,089 | 2024 | up 20.6% | volatile |
| 72 | Sweden | 71,551 | 2024 | up 12.7% | rising |
| 73 | Greece | 70,680 | 2023 | up 5.9% | rising |
| 74 | Niger | 69,636 | 2024 | up 9.3% | volatile |
| 75 | Rwanda | 68,326 | 2024 | up 65.9% | volatile |
| 76 | Jordan | 64,348 | 2024 | up 11.0% | volatile |
| 77 | Mali | 59,920 | 2023 | up 19.6% | volatile |
| 78 | Benin | 59,742 | 2022 | up 32.7% | volatile |
| 79 | Switzerland | 58,349 | 2024 | up 21.8% | rising |
| 80 | Chad | 54,801 | 2024 | up 26.0% | volatile |
| 81 | Portugal | 52,131 | 2023 | down 3.9% | falling |
| 82 | Norway | 51,889 | 2024 | up 7.8% | rising |
| 83 | Honduras | 49,996 | 2024 | up 26.3% | rising |
| 84 | Romania | 47,769 | 2023 | down 5.6% | falling |
| 85 | Sierra Leone | 46,575 | 2024 | up 24.8% | volatile |
| 86 | Cambodia | 46,016 | 2024 | up 2.5% | rising |
| 87 | Haiti | 44,472 | 1998 | up 110.7% | volatile |
| 88 | Guinea | 43,914 | 2020 | up 27.5% | volatile |
| 89 | Burundi | 43,226 | 2025 | down 9.9% | volatile |
| 90 | Costa Rica | 43,058 | 2024 | up 19.7% | volatile |
| 91 | Libya | 42,696 | 1983 | up 140.3% | rising |
| 92 | Ireland | 42,162 | 2023 | up 30.7% | rising |
| 93 | Denmark | 42,105 | 2024 | down 3.3% | rising |
| 94 | Papua New Guinea | 40,888 | 2023 | up 13.9% | volatile |
| 95 | United Arab Emirates | 39,735 | 2024 | up 12.7% | volatile |
| 96 | Azerbaijan | 38,731 | 2024 | down 5.6% | rising |
| 97 | Tajikistan | 37,890 | 2024 | up 27.9% | rising |
| 98 | Hungary | 37,255 | 2024 | up 6.6% | falling |
| 99 | Liberia | 37,210 | 2022 | up 48.0% | rising |
| 100 | Togo | 36,787 | 2024 | up 7.1% | volatile |
| 101 | Lebanon | 36,699 | 2024 | down 5.9% | rising |
| 102 | Austria | 35,752 | 2024 | up 17.1% | rising |
| 103 | Oman | 34,743 | 2024 | down 8.4% | volatile |
| 104 | Paraguay | 34,694 | 2012 | down 2.8% | rising |
| 105 | Kuwait | 32,782 | 2021 | up 26.2% | volatile |
| 106 | Georgia | 32,424 | 2024 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 107 | Finland | 30,824 | 2024 | up 16.8% | rising |
| 108 | Nicaragua | 29,707 | 2023 | down 2.8% | rising |
| 109 | Hong Kong | 28,284 | 2024 | up 20.8% | rising |
| 110 | Kyrgyzstan | 26,847 | 2025 | up 55.9% | rising |
| 111 | New Zealand | 26,597 | 2024 | up 6.1% | rising |
| 112 | Czechia | 25,979 | 2013 | down 23.0% | rising |
| 113 | Palestine | 25,038 | 2023 | up 37.3% | rising |
| 114 | Turkmenistan | 24,978 | 2024 | up 15.1% | rising |
| 115 | Mauritania | 24,560 | 2024 | up 42.6% | volatile |
| 116 | Congo | 23,019 | 2023 | up 39.3% | volatile |
| 117 | Bulgaria | 22,710 | 2024 | up 55.6% | falling |
| 118 | Belarus | 22,228 | 2024 | down 0.7% | falling |
| 119 | El Salvador | 22,132 | 2024 | down 11.4% | falling |
| 120 | Laos | 21,845 | 2025 | down 38.0% | rising |
| 121 | Namibia | 21,240 | 2024 | up 32.1% | rising |
| 122 | Panama | 19,072 | 2017 | up 4.9% | rising |
| 123 | Uruguay | 18,882 | 2023 | down 30.9% | rising |
| 124 | Slovakia | 18,530 | 2024 | up 32.1% | flat |
| 125 | Singapore | 16,639 | 2023 | up 5.8% | rising |
| 126 | Botswana | 16,622 | 2022 | up 15.2% | rising |
| 127 | Serbia | 16,557 | 2024 | down 8.7% | flat |
| 128 | Puerto Rico | 15,316 | 2024 | down 20.5% | flat |
| 129 | Qatar | 14,931 | 2024 | up 42.5% | volatile |
| 130 | Gambia | 13,495 | 2025 | up 70.8% | volatile |
| 131 | Croatia | 13,441 | 2023 | up 15.0% | rising |
| 132 | Somalia | 12,870 | 2007 | — | volatile |
| 133 | Eritrea | 12,025 | 2022 | up 47.3% | rising |
| 134 | Mongolia | 11,972 | 2024 | up 36.1% | rising |
| 135 | Jamaica | 11,768 | 2024 | down 2.4% | rising |
| 136 | Gabon | 10,935 | 2019 | down 15.6% | volatile |
| 137 | Lesotho | 10,388 | 2024 | down 7.0% | rising |
| 138 | Latvia | 9,966 | 2024 | down 3.6% | rising |
| 139 | Central African Republic | 9,756 | 2016 | up 109.7% | rising |
| 140 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 9,722 | 2023 | up 2.3% | flat |
| 141 | Bahrain | 9,404 | 2024 | up 5.7% | volatile |
| 142 | Albania | 9,336 | 2024 | down 9.7% | falling |
| 143 | Lithuania | 8,888 | 2024 | up 5.3% | falling |
| 144 | Eswatini | 8,880 | 2023 | up 4.4% | rising |
| 145 | Slovenia | 8,663 | 2016 | up 41.1% | flat |
| 146 | Estonia | 8,627 | 2024 | up 31.2% | rising |
| 147 | North Macedonia | 7,723 | 2023 | up 9.4% | rising |
| 148 | Trinidad and Tobago | 7,693 | 2024 | up 3.3% | rising |
| 149 | Armenia | 7,540 | 2024 | down 24.2% | falling |
| 150 | Moldova | 7,408 | 2024 | down 10.0% | falling |
| 151 | East Timor | 7,144 | 2023 | down 7.4% | rising |
| 152 | Guyana | 6,330 | 2024 | up 55.2% | rising |
| 153 | Fiji | 6,295 | 2024 | up 71.5% | rising |
| 154 | Mauritius | 6,144 | 2024 | up 9.1% | falling |
| 155 | Luxembourg | 5,878 | 2024 | up 35.5% | rising |
| 156 | Cyprus | 5,389 | 2023 | up 35.5% | rising |
| 157 | Guinea-Bissau | 5,371 | 2010 | up 57.7% | rising |
| 158 | Solomon Islands | 5,327 | 2024 | up 6.1% | volatile |
| 159 | Suriname | 5,068 | 2021 | up 3.7% | rising |
| 160 | Maldives | 4,691 | 2024 | up 42.5% | rising |
| 161 | Equatorial Guinea | 4,021 | 2015 | up 74.3% | volatile |
| 162 | Comoros | 3,952 | 2024 | down 4.9% | volatile |
| 163 | Reunion | 3,917 | 1987 | up 7.0% | rising |
| 164 | Brunei | 3,846 | 2024 | down 3.9% | rising |
| 165 | Iceland | 3,568 | 2023 | up 18.9% | rising |
| 166 | Bhutan | 3,372 | 2024 | down 7.3% | rising |
| 167 | Cape Verde | 3,031 | 2022 | up 2.5% | rising |
| 168 | Macao | 2,896 | 2024 | up 73.5% | rising |
| 169 | Djibouti | 2,739 | 2023 | up 47.9% | volatile |
| 170 | Martinique | 2,603 | 1996 | up 24.0% | flat |
| 171 | Belize | 2,497 | 2024 | up 7.6% | rising |
| 172 | French Polynesia | 2,052 | 1996 | up 53.5% | rising |
| 173 | Malta | 1,941 | 2024 | up 7.9% | rising |
| 174 | Guadeloupe | 1,920 | 1993 | down 20.3% | falling |
| 175 | Vanuatu | 1,892 | 2024 | down 2.3% | rising |
| 176 | Barbados | 1,592 | 2024 | down 4.4% | rising |
| 177 | Samoa | 1,558 | 2023 | up 52.6% | flat |
| 178 | Bahamas | 1,497 | 2024 | down 14.1% | rising |
| 179 | Sao Tome and Principe | 1,193 | 2017 | up 20.5% | rising |
| 180 | New Caledonia | 1,096 | 1991 | down 14.9% | flat |
| 181 | Antigua and Barbuda | 1,087 | 2023 | up 44.0% | rising |
| 182 | Saint Lucia | 1,067 | 2024 | down 12.3% | rising |
| 183 | United States Virgin Islands | 1,025 | 1993 | down 8.5% | rising |
| 184 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 1,018 | 2024 | up 18.9% | falling |
| 185 | Tonga | 818 | 2024 | up 4.6% | rising |
| 186 | French Guiana | 802 | 1996 | up 89.6% | rising |
| 187 | Guam | 775 | 1989 | down 12.9% | rising |
| 188 | Micronesia (country) | 774 | 2023 | up 2,318.8% | volatile |
| 189 | Kiribati | 734 | 2024 | up 19.5% | rising |
| 190 | Seychelles | 671 | 2024 | up 1.4% | rising |
| 191 | Aruba | 628 | 2016 | up 9.8% | rising |
| 192 | Grenada | 620 | 2024 | down 31.3% | rising |
| 193 | Dominica | 552 | 2023 | up 4.3% | rising |
| 194 | American Samoa | 524 | 1992 | up 32.7% | rising |
| 195 | Marshall Islands | 439 | 2024 | down 31.7% | falling |
| 196 | Bermuda | 420 | 2016 | down 25.9% | rising |
| 197 | Andorra | 413 | 2024 | down 3.3% | rising |
| 198 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 408 | 2023 | up 6.0% | rising |
| 199 | Cayman Islands | 323 | 2024 | up 6.6% | rising |
| 200 | Liechtenstein | 283 | 2021 | up 10.1% | falling |
| 201 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 272 | 2024 | down 4.6% | rising |
| 202 | British Virgin Islands | 247 | 2024 | down 11.5% | rising |
| 203 | San Marino | 245 | 2024 | down 2.4% | rising |
| 204 | Palau | 205 | 2024 | — | rising |
| 205 | Gibraltar | 197 | 2023 | down 3.4% | rising |
| 206 | Monaco | 195 | 2024 | up 25.8% | rising |
| 207 | Tuvalu | 107 | 2025 | down 8.5% | rising |
| 208 | Cook Islands | 96 | 2024 | down 13.5% | falling |
| 209 | Anguilla | 70 | 2022 | down 7.9% | rising |
| 210 | Nauru | 66 | 2025 | up 65.0% | falling |
| 211 | Saint Helena | 57 | 1998 | up 78.1% | rising |
| 212 | Saint Pierre and Miquelon | 37 | 1987 | up 8.8% | flat |
| 213 | Montserrat | 29 | 2020 | down 21.6% | volatile |
| 214 | Tokelau | 22 | 2025 | up 46.7% | falling |
| 215 | Falkland Islands | 15 | 1980 | down 53.1% | falling |
| 216 | Niue | 12 | 2024 | down 20.0% | volatile |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- SDG: World 34.10 million
- UIS: World 34.10 million
- MDG: World 34.10 million
- WB: World 34.10 million
- UNICEF: World 34.04 million
- UNICEF: All Unicef Countries 29.12 million
- MDG: Developing Regions 28.60 million
- WB: Ida & Ibrd Total 28.51 million
- WB: Low & Middle Income (july 2025) 27.98 million
- WB: Middle Income (july 2025) 25.11 million
- WB: Ibrd Only 21.35 million
- ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400) 18.70 million
- AIMS: Asia and the Pacific 17.98 million
- WB: Early-demographic Dividend 13.97 million
- WB: Upper Middle Income (july 2025) 13.41 million
- ESCAP: Wb Lower Middle Income Economies (wb_lower_mid) (unsdcode:98438) 11.74 million
- WB: Lower Middle Income (july 2025) 11.30 million
- WB: East Asia & Pacific 10.94 million
- AIMS: East Asia and the Pacific 10.93 million
- UIS: East Asia and the Pacific 10.93 million
- UNICEF: East Asia and Pacific 10.91 million
- SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia 10.74 million
- AIMS: East Asia 10.72 million
- GPE: Overall Fy24, All 90 Countries, December 2024 10.46 million
- WB: Late-demographic Dividend 10.38 million
- UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries 10.14 million
- WB: East Asia & Pacific (excluding High Income) 10.13 million
- WB: East Asia & Pacific (ida & Ibrd) 10.06 million
- ESCAP: Wb Upper Middle Income Economies (wb_upper_mid) (unsdcode:98437) 9.68 million
- ESCAP: East and North-east Asia (enea) (unsdcode:98408) 7.46 million
- SDG: Eastern Asia 7.46 million
- WB: Global Partnership for Education (july 2019) 7.32 million
- WB: Ida Total 7.15 million
- SDG: Central and Southern Asia 7.04 million
- MDG: Eastern Asia 7.03 million
- ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420) 7.01 million
- AIMS: South and West Asia 6.70 million
- MDG: Southern Asia 6.70 million
- SDG: Southern Asia 6.70 million
- UIS: South and West Asia 6.70 million
About this data
February 2026 Data Release