Primary education, pupils by country
Primary education pupils is the total number of pupils enrolled at primary level in public and private schools.
Countries reporting
206
Highest
126.12 million
India
Lowest
1,332
Tuvalu
Median
582,819
Years covered
56
1970–2025
Data points
11,297
What the numbers show
Primary education, pupils is currently reported for 206 countries. The highest value is 126.12 million in India; the lowest is 1,332 in Tuvalu.
The median across all reporting countries is 582,819, and the mean is 3.69 million.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 94,682.
Over the past decade 120 countries rose and 84 fell. The largest increase was in Central African Republic (up 94.3%), and the largest decrease in British Virgin Islands (down 50.4%).
Primary education, pupils: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | 126.12 million | 2025 | down 1.3% | rising |
| 2 | China | 108.57 million | 2024 | up 15.7% | falling |
| 3 | Nigeria | 33.42 million | 2023 | up 27.7% | rising |
| 4 | Indonesia | 28.68 million | 2025 | down 3.4% | rising |
| 5 | Pakistan | 25.38 million | 2024 | up 30.6% | volatile |
| 6 | United States | 23.83 million | 2023 | down 2.9% | falling |
| 7 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 21.15 million | 2023 | up 67.8% | volatile |
| 8 | Bangladesh | 16.69 million | 2024 | down 3.0% | rising |
| 9 | Ethiopia | 15.93 million | 2024 | up 1.2% | volatile |
| 10 | Egypt | 15.40 million | 2024 | up 39.6% | rising |
| 11 | Brazil | 15.11 million | 2024 | down 9.2% | rising |
| 12 | Mexico | 13.19 million | 2025 | down 8.4% | rising |
| 13 | Philippines | 13.06 million | 2024 | down 9.7% | rising |
| 14 | Tanzania | 11.39 million | 2024 | up 38.5% | volatile |
| 15 | Iran | 9.09 million | 2023 | up 15.6% | rising |
| 16 | Vietnam | 8.88 million | 2024 | up 19.4% | flat |
| 17 | Uganda | 8.84 million | 2017 | up 17.3% | volatile |
| 18 | Kenya | 8.04 million | 2023 | down 0.1% | rising |
| 19 | Mozambique | 7.66 million | 2022 | up 42.9% | volatile |
| 20 | Russia | 7.55 million | 2023 | up 33.7% | flat |
| 21 | South Africa | 7.52 million | 2023 | up 6.5% | rising |
| 22 | Afghanistan | 7.51 million | 2023 | up 25.4% | volatile |
| 23 | Japan | 6.25 million | 2023 | down 8.2% | falling |
| 24 | Turkey | 5.54 million | 2023 | down 1.0% | flat |
| 25 | Angola | 5.38 million | 2023 | up 7.1% | volatile |
| 26 | Myanmar | 5.30 million | 2018 | up 3.7% | rising |
| 27 | Algeria | 5.30 million | 2025 | up 34.9% | rising |
| 28 | Madagascar | 5.29 million | 2024 | up 14.8% | volatile |
| 29 | Cameroon | 5.29 million | 2024 | up 27.7% | volatile |
| 30 | Sudan | 5.23 million | 2019 | up 31.8% | rising |
| 31 | Ghana | 4.98 million | 2024 | up 21.1% | rising |
| 32 | United Kingdom | 4.86 million | 2023 | up 5.3% | falling |
| 33 | Iraq | 4.86 million | 2007 | up 67.5% | rising |
| 34 | Cote d'Ivoire | 4.82 million | 2024 | up 51.6% | volatile |
| 35 | Malawi | 4.75 million | 2024 | up 15.9% | volatile |
| 36 | Morocco | 4.61 million | 2024 | up 14.3% | rising |
| 37 | Argentina | 4.58 million | 2023 | down 0.9% | rising |
| 38 | Zambia | 4.49 million | 2024 | up 39.5% | volatile |
| 39 | Thailand | 4.45 million | 2025 | down 12.5% | falling |
| 40 | Colombia | 4.14 million | 2022 | down 12.7% | rising |
| 41 | France | 4.13 million | 2024 | down 1.5% | falling |
| 42 | Yemen | 3.90 million | 2016 | up 21.1% | rising |
| 43 | Peru | 3.71 million | 2024 | up 6.0% | rising |
| 44 | Nepal | 3.57 million | 2025 | down 17.8% | rising |
| 45 | Venezuela | 3.54 million | 2024 | up 1.4% | rising |
| 46 | Saudi Arabia | 3.45 million | 2024 | up 22.8% | rising |
| 47 | Uzbekistan | 3.41 million | 2025 | up 59.8% | rising |
| 48 | Germany | 3.31 million | 2024 | up 15.5% | falling |
| 49 | Burkina Faso | 3.07 million | 2024 | up 18.3% | volatile |
| 50 | Malaysia | 3.06 million | 2024 | down 3.9% | rising |
| 51 | Chad | 3.05 million | 2024 | up 24.8% | volatile |
| 52 | Rwanda | 3.01 million | 2024 | up 25.3% | volatile |
| 53 | Niger | 3.00 million | 2024 | up 31.9% | volatile |
| 54 | Mali | 2.97 million | 2023 | up 43.7% | volatile |
| 55 | Zimbabwe | 2.94 million | 2024 | up 10.5% | rising |
| 56 | Spain | 2.83 million | 2024 | down 4.3% | falling |
| 57 | Haiti | 2.63 million | 2016 | — | volatile |
| 58 | Italy | 2.63 million | 2023 | down 8.2% | falling |
| 59 | Burundi | 2.52 million | 2025 | up 21.4% | volatile |
| 60 | South Korea | 2.51 million | 2024 | down 8.4% | falling |
| 61 | Canada | 2.43 million | 2023 | up 10.2% | falling |
| 62 | Guatemala | 2.42 million | 2024 | up 0.2% | rising |
| 63 | Benin | 2.40 million | 2022 | up 20.7% | volatile |
| 64 | Senegal | 2.35 million | 2024 | up 24.5% | volatile |
| 65 | Australia | 2.27 million | 2024 | up 4.7% | rising |
| 66 | Cambodia | 2.27 million | 2024 | up 9.3% | rising |
| 67 | Syria | 2.17 million | 2024 | up 40.4% | rising |
| 68 | Guinea | 2.11 million | 2020 | up 45.0% | volatile |
| 69 | Sierra Leone | 2.07 million | 2024 | up 59.1% | volatile |
| 70 | Ecuador | 1.72 million | 2024 | down 17.4% | rising |
| 71 | Togo | 1.66 million | 2024 | up 17.3% | volatile |
| 72 | Papua New Guinea | 1.65 million | 2023 | up 46.2% | volatile |
| 73 | Poland | 1.60 million | 2024 | down 25.7% | falling |
| 74 | Kazakhstan | 1.58 million | 2025 | up 31.8% | rising |
| 75 | Sri Lanka | 1.58 million | 2023 | down 10.8% | falling |
| 76 | Chile | 1.49 million | 2024 | up 1.5% | falling |
| 77 | Ukraine | 1.40 million | 2024 | down 17.0% | falling |
| 78 | Bolivia | 1.38 million | 2024 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 79 | Tunisia | 1.34 million | 2023 | up 25.8% | rising |
| 80 | Dominican Republic | 1.17 million | 2024 | down 8.1% | rising |
| 81 | Netherlands | 1.14 million | 2023 | down 10.5% | falling |
| 82 | Jordan | 1.12 million | 2024 | up 13.9% | rising |
| 83 | Israel | 1.05 million | 2024 | up 21.6% | rising |
| 84 | Honduras | 1.03 million | 2024 | down 10.6% | rising |
| 85 | Tajikistan | 1.01 million | 2024 | up 52.2% | rising |
| 86 | Mauritania | 891,821 | 2024 | up 50.6% | volatile |
| 87 | Congo | 880,625 | 2023 | up 19.9% | rising |
| 88 | Nicaragua | 880,080 | 2023 | down 4.7% | rising |
| 89 | Romania | 873,154 | 2023 | up 8.2% | falling |
| 90 | Sweden | 859,847 | 2024 | up 13.6% | rising |
| 91 | Belgium | 814,388 | 2023 | up 6.6% | falling |
| 92 | Central African Republic | 813,767 | 2016 | up 94.3% | rising |
| 93 | Libya | 755,338 | 2006 | down 8.1% | rising |
| 94 | Laos | 739,554 | 2025 | down 13.0% | rising |
| 95 | Paraguay | 710,209 | 2024 | down 12.5% | rising |
| 96 | Cuba | 698,052 | 2024 | down 6.7% | falling |
| 97 | Turkmenistan | 631,199 | 2024 | up 13.3% | rising |
| 98 | Kyrgyzstan | 630,435 | 2025 | up 39.7% | rising |
| 99 | Azerbaijan | 603,966 | 2024 | up 16.7% | rising |
| 100 | Portugal | 598,661 | 2023 | down 13.6% | falling |
| 101 | El Salvador | 594,860 | 2024 | down 23.0% | rising |
| 102 | Namibia | 590,029 | 2024 | up 36.6% | rising |
| 103 | United Arab Emirates | 586,477 | 2024 | down 8.8% | volatile |
| 104 | Czechia | 579,161 | 2023 | up 17.8% | falling |
| 105 | Greece | 578,574 | 2023 | down 8.7% | falling |
| 106 | Liberia | 569,741 | 2022 | down 15.5% | volatile |
| 107 | Switzerland | 556,945 | 2024 | up 15.1% | rising |
| 108 | Ireland | 548,873 | 2022 | up 5.9% | rising |
| 109 | Lebanon | 533,550 | 2024 | up 10.9% | rising |
| 110 | Palestine | 514,700 | 2023 | up 19.6% | rising |
| 111 | Somalia | 464,607 | 2023 | — | volatile |
| 112 | Costa Rica | 460,126 | 2024 | down 3.3% | rising |
| 113 | Panama | 451,308 | 2024 | up 5.8% | rising |
| 114 | Belarus | 444,044 | 2024 | up 20.4% | falling |
| 115 | Gambia | 442,901 | 2025 | up 50.9% | volatile |
| 116 | Norway | 434,422 | 2024 | up 2.0% | rising |
| 117 | Denmark | 432,238 | 2024 | down 7.5% | flat |
| 118 | Eritrea | 398,090 | 2022 | up 19.1% | rising |
| 119 | Hungary | 384,692 | 2024 | down 2.1% | falling |
| 120 | New Zealand | 383,018 | 2024 | up 6.3% | flat |
| 121 | Botswana | 381,674 | 2022 | up 13.7% | rising |
| 122 | Mongolia | 379,647 | 2024 | up 58.7% | rising |
| 123 | Austria | 368,502 | 2024 | up 12.6% | falling |
| 124 | Finland | 360,117 | 2024 | up 2.4% | falling |
| 125 | Oman | 358,346 | 2024 | up 9.7% | rising |
| 126 | Georgia | 342,203 | 2024 | up 19.9% | flat |
| 127 | Hong Kong | 329,780 | 2024 | up 1.7% | falling |
| 128 | Lesotho | 309,480 | 2024 | down 15.5% | rising |
| 129 | Uruguay | 287,527 | 2023 | down 11.3% | falling |
| 130 | Guinea-Bissau | 278,890 | 2010 | up 85.9% | volatile |
| 131 | Gabon | 269,687 | 2019 | down 15.2% | rising |
| 132 | Kuwait | 265,113 | 2021 | up 18.5% | rising |
| 133 | Serbia | 251,941 | 2024 | down 11.5% | falling |
| 134 | Slovakia | 244,806 | 2024 | up 14.5% | falling |
| 135 | Singapore | 238,816 | 2023 | up 0.8% | falling |
| 136 | Bulgaria | 234,521 | 2024 | down 9.4% | falling |
| 137 | East Timor | 227,656 | 2023 | down 7.5% | rising |
| 138 | Eswatini | 222,351 | 2023 | down 7.0% | rising |
| 139 | Jamaica | 211,097 | 2024 | down 20.7% | falling |
| 140 | Qatar | 180,287 | 2024 | up 54.5% | volatile |
| 141 | Armenia | 160,885 | 2024 | up 12.9% | falling |
| 142 | Croatia | 147,483 | 2023 | down 8.0% | falling |
| 143 | Puerto Rico | 144,542 | 2024 | down 44.2% | falling |
| 144 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 141,518 | 2023 | down 12.9% | falling |
| 145 | Albania | 141,089 | 2024 | down 27.9% | falling |
| 146 | Moldova | 136,696 | 2024 | down 1.2% | falling |
| 147 | Slovenia | 132,709 | 2023 | up 21.5% | rising |
| 148 | Trinidad and Tobago | 126,491 | 2024 | down 3.7% | falling |
| 149 | Latvia | 123,956 | 2024 | up 8.1% | falling |
| 150 | Bahrain | 122,305 | 2024 | up 18.8% | rising |
| 151 | Lithuania | 120,897 | 2024 | up 11.8% | falling |
| 152 | Fiji | 113,938 | 2024 | up 7.5% | rising |
| 153 | North Macedonia | 105,461 | 2023 | down 4.1% | falling |
| 154 | Comoros | 102,152 | 2024 | down 15.1% | rising |
| 155 | Solomon Islands | 98,955 | 2024 | down 3.0% | rising |
| 156 | Guyana | 94,786 | 2024 | up 0.3% | falling |
| 157 | Equatorial Guinea | 93,396 | 2015 | up 23.2% | rising |
| 158 | Bhutan | 91,759 | 2024 | down 9.7% | rising |
| 159 | Estonia | 89,246 | 2024 | up 15.6% | falling |
| 160 | Mauritius | 84,530 | 2024 | down 19.7% | falling |
| 161 | Djibouti | 69,705 | 2023 | up 10.0% | volatile |
| 162 | Cape Verde | 61,167 | 2022 | down 9.9% | rising |
| 163 | Suriname | 60,612 | 2024 | down 11.7% | falling |
| 164 | Cyprus | 60,596 | 2024 | up 14.1% | flat |
| 165 | Vanuatu | 56,048 | 2024 | up 26.9% | rising |
| 166 | Belize | 44,757 | 2024 | down 13.9% | rising |
| 167 | Maldives | 44,013 | 2024 | up 11.2% | falling |
| 168 | Luxembourg | 43,020 | 2024 | up 21.4% | rising |
| 169 | Montenegro | 38,834 | 2023 | up 1.2% | flat |
| 170 | Macao | 38,349 | 2024 | up 67.7% | rising |
| 171 | Brunei | 37,751 | 2024 | down 8.1% | rising |
| 172 | Sao Tome and Principe | 37,172 | 2017 | up 18.4% | rising |
| 173 | Samoa | 34,962 | 2024 | up 11.5% | rising |
| 174 | Iceland | 32,314 | 2023 | up 9.3% | rising |
| 175 | French Polynesia | 29,415 | 1996 | up 7.4% | rising |
| 176 | Malta | 27,337 | 2023 | up 15.6% | falling |
| 177 | Bahamas | 26,817 | 2024 | down 15.4% | flat |
| 178 | New Caledonia | 22,308 | 1994 | down 8.6% | falling |
| 179 | Kiribati | 17,457 | 2024 | up 7.8% | rising |
| 180 | Barbados | 16,314 | 2024 | down 22.9% | falling |
| 181 | Tonga | 15,644 | 2024 | down 8.5% | falling |
| 182 | Guam | 15,516 | 1989 | down 12.6% | falling |
| 183 | United States Virgin Islands | 14,544 | 1993 | down 9.5% | flat |
| 184 | Saint Lucia | 14,257 | 2024 | down 12.4% | falling |
| 185 | Grenada | 11,967 | 2024 | down 7.8% | falling |
| 186 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 11,936 | 2024 | down 11.1% | falling |
| 187 | Micronesia (country) | 11,762 | 2024 | down 17.8% | falling |
| 188 | Seychelles | 9,592 | 2024 | up 8.9% | falling |
| 189 | Antigua and Barbuda | 8,720 | 2023 | down 14.4% | falling |
| 190 | American Samoa | 7,884 | 1992 | up 16.9% | rising |
| 191 | Aruba | 7,719 | 2024 | down 21.4% | falling |
| 192 | Dominica | 5,427 | 2025 | down 27.8% | falling |
| 193 | Marshall Islands | 5,369 | 2024 | down 34.8% | falling |
| 194 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 5,110 | 2023 | down 8.6% | falling |
| 195 | Cayman Islands | 4,334 | 2024 | up 9.7% | rising |
| 196 | Andorra | 4,218 | 2024 | up 3.8% | rising |
| 197 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 3,673 | 2024 | up 46.0% | rising |
| 198 | Bermuda | 3,377 | 2023 | down 18.1% | falling |
| 199 | Gibraltar | 2,755 | 2024 | down 1.5% | flat |
| 200 | Monaco | 2,068 | 2024 | up 18.0% | rising |
| 201 | Liechtenstein | 1,984 | 2021 | down 1.5% | falling |
| 202 | Nauru | 1,703 | 2025 | up 12.9% | rising |
| 203 | British Virgin Islands | 1,626 | 2024 | down 50.4% | rising |
| 204 | Palau | 1,449 | 2024 | down 11.6% | falling |
| 205 | San Marino | 1,388 | 2024 | down 11.8% | flat |
| 206 | Tuvalu | 1,332 | 2024 | down 4.2% | rising |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- World 780.85 million
- IDA & IBRD total 707.69 million
- Low & middle income 701.53 million
- Middle income 589.09 million
- IBRD only 443.80 million
- Early-demographic dividend 364.78 million
- Lower middle income 343.48 million
- IDA total 263.89 million
- Upper middle income 237.35 million
- Sub-Saharan Africa 196.80 million
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 196.80 million
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 196.79 million
About this data
Primary education pupils is the total number of pupils enrolled at primary level in public and private schools.