School age population, one year before than official primary entry in South Asia
South Asia: School age population, one year before than official primary entry was 17.64 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising
Latest (2019)
17.64 million number
Change on year
down 1.2%
Rank
9th
of 43 groups
All-time high
18.60 million number
in 2010
All-time low
10.54 million number
in 1970
Years of data
50
1970–2019
School age population, one year before than official primary entry in South Asia, 1970–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, one year before than official primary entry in South Asia is 17.64 million number, measured in 2019.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 5.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, one year before than official primary entry in South Asia peaked at 18.60 million number in 2010 and was at its lowest, 10.54 million number, in 1970.
South Asia ranks 9th of 43 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
School age population, one year before than official primary entry in South Asia, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 10.54 million number | — |
| 1971 | 10.71 million number | +1.6% |
| 1972 | 10.94 million number | +2.1% |
| 1973 | 11.15 million number | +1.9% |
| 1974 | 11.34 million number | +1.7% |
| 1975 | 11.51 million number | +1.5% |
| 1976 | 11.69 million number | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 11.96 million number | +2.3% |
| 1978 | 12.23 million number | +2.3% |
| 1979 | 12.50 million number | +2.2% |
| 1980 | 12.76 million number | +2.1% |
| 1981 | 13.01 million number | +1.9% |
| 1982 | 13.28 million number | +2.1% |
| 1983 | 13.59 million number | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 13.90 million number | +2.2% |
| 1985 | 14.18 million number | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 14.47 million number | +2.1% |
| 1987 | 14.86 million number | +2.7% |
| 1988 | 15.25 million number | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 15.63 million number | +2.5% |
| 1990 | 15.96 million number | +2.1% |
| 1991 | 16.20 million number | +1.6% |
| 1992 | 16.48 million number | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 16.69 million number | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 16.87 million number | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 17.01 million number | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 17.14 million number | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 17.30 million number | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 17.45 million number | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 17.57 million number | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 17.68 million number | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 17.78 million number | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 17.94 million number | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 18.10 million number | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 18.24 million number | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 18.34 million number | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 18.40 million number | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 18.49 million number | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 18.56 million number | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 18.60 million number | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 18.60 million number | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 18.58 million number | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 18.56 million number | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 18.53 million number | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 18.46 million number | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 18.37 million number | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 18.23 million number | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 18.06 million number | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 17.85 million number | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 17.64 million number | -1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 11.46 million number | 10.54 million number | 12.50 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.09 million number | 12.76 million number | 15.63 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.87 million number | 15.96 million number | 17.57 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.21 million number | 17.68 million number | 18.60 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.29 million number | 17.64 million number | 18.60 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
- 6 United States of America 2.04 million number compare
- 7 Ethiopia 1.55 million number compare
- 8 Brazil 1.50 million number compare
- 9 Bangladesh 1.48 million number compare
- 10 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1.43 million number compare
- 11 Egypt 1.33 million number compare
- 12 Philippines 1.18 million number compare
More reference data data for South Asia
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 102.17 (2026)
- CPI Price, nominal 246.03 (2026)
- CPI Price, nominal, seas. adj. 247.05 (2026)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 16.19 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 33.83 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, both sexes 5.02 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, male 5.06 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, female 4.98 years (2019)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 98.2% (2019)
- Total Reserves 746,211 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, one year before than official primary entry in South Asia?
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry in South Asia was 17.64 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, one year before than official primary entry recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 18.60 million number in 2010.
- What is the lowest school age population, one year before than official primary entry recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.54 million number in 1970.
- How does South Asia rank for school age population, one year before than official primary entry?
- South Asia ranks 9th out of 43 groups with data for 2019.
- Is school age population, one year before than official primary entry rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Asia 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, male (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 50 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Male 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/