School age population, one year before than official primary entry in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa: School age population, one year before than official primary entry was 16.22 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
16.22 million number
Change on year
up 1.9%
Rank
12th
of 43 groups
All-time high
16.22 million number
in 2019
All-time low
4.71 million number
in 1970
Years of data
50
1970–2019

School age population, one year before than official primary entry in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1970–2019

5.0M7.5M10.0M12.5M15.0M197019942019

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 Sub-Saharan Africa is 16.22 million number, measured in 2019. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.

That represents a change of up 1.9% on the previous year and up 26.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, school age population, one year before than official primary entry in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 16.22 million number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 4.71 million number, in 1970.

That places Sub-Saharan Africa 12th out of 43 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.

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 Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year

Annual values for School age population, one year before than official primary entry age, male (number) in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1970 to 2019.
Year number Change
1970 4.71 million number
1971 4.82 million number +2.1%
1972 4.95 million number +2.8%
1973 5.08 million number +2.6%
1974 5.21 million number +2.5%
1975 5.33 million number +2.4%
1976 5.47 million number +2.5%
1977 5.65 million number +3.3%
1978 5.83 million number +3.3%
1979 6.02 million number +3.1%
1980 6.18 million number +2.8%
1981 6.34 million number +2.6%
1982 6.54 million number +3.1%
1983 6.73 million number +2.9%
1984 6.92 million number +2.8%
1985 7.10 million number +2.6%
1986 7.28 million number +2.5%
1987 7.51 million number +3.1%
1988 7.73 million number +3.0%
1989 7.94 million number +2.7%
1990 8.13 million number +2.4%
1991 8.31 million number +2.2%
1992 8.53 million number +2.6%
1993 8.73 million number +2.4%
1994 8.91 million number +2.1%
1995 9.07 million number +1.8%
1996 9.22 million number +1.7%
1997 9.43 million number +2.3%
1998 9.65 million number +2.3%
1999 9.84 million number +2.0%
2000 10.05 million number +2.1%
2001 10.27 million number +2.2%
2002 10.57 million number +2.8%
2003 10.87 million number +2.9%
2004 11.18 million number +2.9%
2005 11.48 million number +2.6%
2006 11.77 million number +2.6%
2007 12.12 million number +3.0%
2008 12.47 million number +2.9%
2009 12.82 million number +2.8%
2010 13.15 million number +2.6%
2011 13.49 million number +2.5%
2012 13.86 million number +2.8%
2013 14.24 million number +2.7%
2014 14.60 million number +2.5%
2015 14.93 million number +2.3%
2016 15.25 million number +2.1%
2017 15.59 million number +2.2%
2018 15.92 million number +2.1%
2019 16.22 million number +1.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 5.31 million number 4.71 million number 6.02 million number 10
1980s 7.03 million number 6.18 million number 7.94 million number 10
1990s 8.98 million number 8.13 million number 9.84 million number 10
2000s 11.36 million number 10.05 million number 12.82 million number 10
2010s 14.73 million number 13.15 million number 16.22 million number 10

Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa

  1. 9 Bangladesh 1.48 million number compare
  2. 10 Democratic Republic of Congo 1.43 million number compare
  3. 11 Egypt 1.33 million number compare
  4. 12 Philippines 1.18 million number compare
  5. 13 Mexico 1.15 million number compare
  6. 14 Russia 964,766 number compare
  7. 15 Tanzania 891,505 number compare

See the full ranking of 247 places →

More reference data data for Sub-Saharan Africa

All data for Sub-Saharan Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is school age population, one year before than official primary entry in Sub-Saharan Africa?
School age population, one year before than official primary entry in Sub-Saharan Africa was 16.22 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 Sub-Saharan Africa?
The highest recorded value was 16.22 million number in 2019.
What is the lowest school age population, one year before than official primary entry recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 4.71 million number in 1970.
How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for school age population, one year before than official primary entry?
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 12th out of 43 groups with data for 2019.
Is school age population, one year before than official primary entry rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 26.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Sub-Saharan 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, male (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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School age population, one year before than official primary entry in Sub-Saharan 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-male-number/sub-saharan-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
School age population, one year before than official primary entry age, male (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

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/