School age population, one year before than official primary entry in South Africa

South Africa: School age population, one year before than official primary entry was 579,205 number in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
579,205 number
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
22nd
of 202 countries
All-time high
579,205 number
in 2020
All-time low
319,344 number
in 1970
Years of data
51
1970–2020

School age population, one year before than official primary entry in South Africa, 1970–2020

0200.0k400.0k600.0k197019952020

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

In 2020, school age population, one year before than official primary entry in South Africa stood at 579,205 number. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.

The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 18.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, school age population, one year before than official primary entry in South Africa peaked at 579,205 number in 2020 and was at its lowest, 319,344 number, in 1970.

That places South Africa 22nd out of 202 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.

School age population, one year before than official primary entry in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for School age population, one year before than official primary entry age, female (number) in South Africa, 1970 to 2020.
Year number Change
1970 319,344 number
1971 327,475 number +2.5%
1972 335,453 number +2.4%
1973 343,234 number +2.3%
1974 350,873 number +2.2%
1975 358,447 number +2.2%
1976 368,495 number +2.8%
1977 379,008 number +2.9%
1978 389,473 number +2.8%
1979 399,165 number +2.5%
1980 407,273 number +2.0%
1981 416,244 number +2.2%
1982 424,539 number +2.0%
1983 432,864 number +2.0%
1984 442,279 number +2.2%
1985 453,992 number +2.6%
1986 468,657 number +3.2%
1987 484,955 number +3.5%
1988 501,301 number +3.4%
1989 515,573 number +2.8%
1990 525,072 number +1.8%
1991 531,126 number +1.2%
1992 534,910 number +0.7%
1993 536,165 number +0.2%
1994 534,774 number -0.3%
1995 531,145 number -0.7%
1996 525,856 number -1.0%
1997 523,948 number -0.4%
1998 513,857 number -1.9%
1999 502,647 number -2.2%
2000 492,743 number -2.0%
2001 486,844 number -1.2%
2002 481,962 number -1.0%
2003 477,974 number -0.8%
2004 474,663 number -0.7%
2005 471,600 number -0.6%
2006 471,389 number -0.0%
2007 472,999 number +0.3%
2008 476,430 number +0.7%
2009 481,781 number +1.1%
2010 488,892 number +1.5%
2011 499,005 number +2.1%
2012 513,069 number +2.8%
2013 528,989 number +3.1%
2014 544,611 number +3.0%
2015 557,156 number +2.3%
2016 566,640 number +1.7%
2017 572,732 number +1.1%
2018 576,212 number +0.6%
2019 577,921 number +0.3%
2020 579,205 number +0.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 357,097 number 319,344 number 399,165 number 10
1980s 454,768 number 407,273 number 515,573 number 10
1990s 525,950 number 502,647 number 536,165 number 10
2000s 478,838 number 471,389 number 492,743 number 10
2010s 542,523 number 488,892 number 577,921 number 10
2020s 579,205 number 579,205 number 579,205 number 1

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 19 Iran, Islamic Republic of 685,326 number compare
  2. 20 Türkiye 671,380 number compare
  3. 21 Sudan 582,449 number compare
  4. 23 Angola 534,149 number compare
  5. 24 Afghanistan 531,041 number compare
  6. 25 Iraq 522,219 number compare

See the full ranking of 247 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is school age population, one year before than official primary entry in South Africa?
School age population, one year before than official primary entry in South Africa was 579,205 number in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest school age population, one year before than official primary entry recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 579,205 number in 2020.
What is the lowest school age population, one year before than official primary entry recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 319,344 number in 1970.
How does South Africa rank for school age population, one year before than official primary entry?
South Africa ranks 22nd out of 202 countries with data for 2020.
Is school age population, one year before than official primary entry rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 18.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, one year before than official primary entry age, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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School age population, one year before than official primary entry in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 27 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/school-age-population-one-year-before-than-official-primary-entry-age-female-number/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
School age population, one year before than official primary entry age, female (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
247 places, 12,237 data points, 1970–2020
Last refreshed

Female population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to one year before the official primary entry age as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration. For more information, consult the UNESCO Institute of Statistics website: http://www.uis.unesco.org/Education/