Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number) in ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400)
ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400): Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number) was 18.70 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
18.70 million
Change on year
up 1.2%
Rank
12th
of 221 groups
All-time high
18.70 million
in 2024
All-time low
8.03 million
in 1971
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Teachers in primary education, both sexes in ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400), 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, teachers in primary education, both sexes in ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400) stood at 18.70 million. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 8.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, teachers in primary education, both sexes in ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400) peaked at 18.70 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 8.03 million, in 1971.
ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400) ranks 12th of 221 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number) in ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 9.11 million | — |
| 1971 | 8.03 million | -11.9% |
| 1972 | 8.63 million | +7.5% |
| 1973 | 9.05 million | +4.8% |
| 1974 | 9.41 million | +4.0% |
| 1975 | 9.82 million | +4.4% |
| 1976 | 10.18 million | +3.7% |
| 1977 | 10.31 million | +1.3% |
| 1978 | 10.32 million | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 10.42 million | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 10.84 million | +4.0% |
| 1981 | 11.06 million | +2.1% |
| 1982 | 11.42 million | +3.2% |
| 1983 | 11.72 million | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 11.89 million | +1.5% |
| 1985 | 11.99 million | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 12.10 million | +1.0% |
| 1987 | 12.22 million | +1.0% |
| 1988 | 12.43 million | +1.7% |
| 1989 | 12.65 million | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 12.85 million | +1.6% |
| 1991 | 13.01 million | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 13.14 million | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 13.32 million | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 13.52 million | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 13.69 million | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 13.84 million | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 13.98 million | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 14.07 million | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 14.20 million | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 14.25 million | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 14.29 million | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 14.19 million | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 14.72 million | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 15.28 million | +3.8% |
| 2005 | 15.28 million | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 15.40 million | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 15.74 million | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 15.75 million | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 16.02 million | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 16.25 million | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 16.46 million | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 16.56 million | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 17.20 million | +3.8% |
| 2014 | 17.23 million | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 17.46 million | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 17.92 million | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 17.62 million | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 17.46 million | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 18.02 million | +3.2% |
| 2020 | 18.34 million | +1.8% |
| 2021 | 18.47 million | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 18.40 million | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 18.49 million | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 18.70 million | +1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 9.53 million | 8.03 million | 10.42 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 11.83 million | 10.84 million | 12.65 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.56 million | 12.85 million | 14.20 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.09 million | 14.19 million | 16.02 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.22 million | 16.25 million | 18.02 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.48 million | 18.34 million | 18.70 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400)
More education data for ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 390.95 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.6175 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 187.37 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 1.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 18.70 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.3795 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.56 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 2.22 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 198.15 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 203.58 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is teachers in primary education, both sexes in ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400)?
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes in ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400) was 18.70 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest teachers in primary education, both sexes recorded in ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400)?
- The highest recorded value was 18.70 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest teachers in primary education, both sexes recorded in ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400)?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.03 million in 1971.
- How does ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400) rank for teachers in primary education, both sexes?
- ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400) ranks 12th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is teachers in primary education, both sexes rising or falling in ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400) data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release