Population of compulsory school age, female in South Africa

South Africa: Population of compulsory school age, female was 4.87 million number in 2019. ▬ Flat

Latest (2019)
4.87 million number
Change on year
up 1.9%
World rank
21st
of 186 countries
All-time high
4.87 million number
in 2019
All-time low
4.30 million number
in 2011
Years of data
22
1998–2019

Population of compulsory school age, female in South Africa, 1998–2019

01.0M2.0M3.0M4.0M5.0M1998200820191998: 4.7M number1999: 4.7M number2000: 4.7M number2001: 4.7M number2002: 4.6M number2003: 4.6M number2004: 4.5M number2005: 4.5M number2006: 4.4M number2007: 4.4M number2008: 4.3M number2009: 4.3M number2010: 4.3M number2011: 4.3M number2012: 4.3M number2013: 4.4M number2014: 4.4M number2015: 4.5M number2016: 4.6M number2017: 4.7M number2018: 4.8M number2019: 4.9M number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 4.87 million number for population of compulsory school age, female in 2019. That is the highest value across all 22 years on record.

That represents a change of up 1.9% on the previous year and up 12.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population of compulsory school age, female in South Africa peaked at 4.87 million number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 4.30 million number, in 2011.

South Africa ranks 21st of 186 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

Population of compulsory school age, female in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Population of compulsory school age, female (number) in South Africa, 1998 to 2019.
Year number Change
1998 4.71 million number
1999 4.71 million number -0.0%
2000 4.68 million number -0.5%
2001 4.66 million number -0.4%
2002 4.63 million number -0.7%
2003 4.58 million number -1.0%
2004 4.52 million number -1.2%
2005 4.47 million number -1.3%
2006 4.41 million number -1.1%
2007 4.37 million number -1.0%
2008 4.33 million number -0.8%
2009 4.31 million number -0.5%
2010 4.30 million number -0.2%
2011 4.30 million number -0.0%
2012 4.32 million number +0.5%
2013 4.36 million number +1.0%
2014 4.42 million number +1.4%
2015 4.50 million number +1.7%
2016 4.59 million number +2.0%
2017 4.68 million number +2.0%
2018 4.77 million number +2.0%
2019 4.87 million number +1.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 4.71 million number 4.71 million number 4.71 million number 2
2000s 4.50 million number 4.31 million number 4.68 million number 10
2010s 4.51 million number 4.30 million number 4.87 million number 10

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 18 Iran, Islamic Republic of 5.45 million number compare
  2. 19 Tanzania, United Republic of 5.31 million number compare
  3. 20 Argentina 4.98 million number compare
  4. 22 Germany 4.84 million number compare
  5. 23 Colombia 4.57 million number compare
  6. 24 Uganda 4.54 million number compare

See the full ranking of 231 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is population of compulsory school age, female in South Africa?
Population of compulsory school age, female in South Africa was 4.87 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest population of compulsory school age, female recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 4.87 million number in 2019.
What is the lowest population of compulsory school age, female recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 4.30 million number in 2011.
How does South Africa rank for population of compulsory school age, female?
South Africa ranks 21st out of 186 countries with data for 2019.
Is population of compulsory school age, female rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 12.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population of compulsory school age, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Population of compulsory school age, female in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 26 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/population-of-compulsory-school-age-female-number/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Population of compulsory school age, female (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
231 places, 4,849 data points, 1975–2020
Last refreshed

Population of female children within the age span that children are legally obliged to attend school.