How many children of school age are not in school — in absolute numbers.
The ranking uses the latest available value for each country — the year is shown in the row. The table spans 1980 to 2025.
Top-20 · people
The scale does not start at zero — the values lie in a narrow range, and starting from zero the bars would be indistinguishable. The axis ticks are labeled.
| # | Year | Subregion | World rank | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Nigeria
|
9.07M | 2023 | 205 | |
| 2 |
China
|
8.25M | 1997 | 204 | |
| 3 |
Pakistan
|
5.43M | 2024 | 203 | |
| 4 |
Democratic Republic of the Congo
|
5.23M | 1999 | 202 | |
| 5 |
Ethiopia
|
4.24M | 2024 | 201 | |
| 6 |
Sudan
|
3.17M | 2019 | 200 | |
| 7 |
Angola
|
2.28M | 2023 | 199 | |
| 8 |
Tanzania
|
2.01M | 2024 | 198 | |
| 9 |
Niger
|
1.88M | 2024 | 197 | |
| 10 |
Philippines
|
1.62M | 2024 | 196 | |
| 11 |
Afghanistan
|
1.59M | 1993 | 195 | |
| 12 |
Yemen
|
1.55M | 2016 | 194 | |
| 13 |
Burkina Faso
|
1.36M | 2024 | 193 | |
| 14 |
South Sudan
|
1.2M | 2024 | 192 | |
| 15 |
Mali
|
1.19M | 2023 | 191 | |
| 16 |
United States
|
965,853 | 2022 | 190 | |
| 17 |
Bangladesh
|
918,575 | 2024 | 189 | |
| 18 |
Chad
|
855,041 | 2024 | 188 | |
| 19 |
Somalia
|
803,231 | 1980 | 187 | |
| 20 |
Senegal
|
675,615 | 2024 | 186 | |
| 21 |
Burundi
|
661,724 | 2025 | 185 | |
| 22 |
Côte d'Ivoire
|
650,800 | 2024 | 184 | |
| 23 |
Syria
|
581,845 | 2024 | 183 | |
| 24 |
Egypt
|
559,709 | 2024 | 182 | |
| 25 |
Iraq
|
498,693 | 2007 | 181 | |
| 26 |
Kenya
|
468,923 | 2023 | 180 | |
| 27 |
South Africa
|
448,146 | 2023 | 179 | |
| 28 |
Malaysia
|
404,724 | 2024 | 178 | |
| 29 |
Honduras
|
346,452 | 2024 | 177 | |
| 30 |
Zimbabwe
|
332,314 | 2024 | 176 | |
| 31 |
Liberia
|
327,280 | 2022 | 175 | |
| 32 |
Brazil
|
316,818 | 2024 | 174 | |
| 33 |
Uganda
|
310,010 | 2013 | 173 | |
| 34 |
Guinea
|
308,947 | 2020 | 172 | |
| 35 |
Central African Republic
|
306,334 | 2012 | 171 | |
| 36 |
Mauritania
|
291,098 | 2024 | 170 | |
| 37 |
Colombia
|
289,295 | 2022 | 169 | |
| 38 |
Indonesia
|
250,575 | 2025 | 168 | |
| 39 |
Ghana
|
235,313 | 2024 | 167 | |
| 40 |
Benin
|
213,285 | 2022 | 166 | |
| 41 |
Guatemala
|
201,342 | 2024 | 165 | |
| 42 |
Ukraine
|
193,775 | 2024 | 164 | |
| 43 |
Russia
|
187,975 | 2023 | 163 | |
| 44 |
Eritrea
|
179,166 | 2022 | 162 | |
| 45 |
Cameroon
|
173,924 | 2024 | 161 | |
| 46 |
Republic of the Congo
|
171,125 | 2023 | 160 | |
| 47 |
Romania
|
160,246 | 2023 | 159 | |
| 48 |
Sri Lanka
|
157,499 | 2023 | 158 | |
| 49 |
Lebanon
|
146,896 | 2024 | 157 | |
| 50 |
Vietnam
|
144,562 | 2024 | 156 | |
| 51 |
Zambia
|
136,539 | 2024 | 155 | |
| 52 |
Bolivia
|
136,027 | 2024 | 154 | |
| 53 |
Madagascar
|
135,621 | 2024 | 153 | |
| 54 |
India
|
134,967 | 2025 | 152 | |
| 55 |
Equatorial Guinea
|
128,846 | 2015 | 151 | |
| 56 |
Kazakhstan
|
128,155 | 2025 | 150 | |
| 57 |
Canada
|
127,666 | 2023 | 149 | |
| 58 |
Lesotho
|
124,175 | 2024 | 148 | |
| 59 |
Paraguay
|
105,859 | 2024 | 147 | |
| 60 |
Ecuador
|
86,090 | 2023 | 146 | |
| 61 |
Laos
|
82,273 | 2025 | 145 | |
| 62 |
Algeria
|
78,683 | 2025 | 144 | |
| 63 |
Gabon
|
77,438 | 2019 | 143 | |
| 64 |
Cambodia
|
76,741 | 2024 | 142 | |
| 65 |
Guinea-Bissau
|
75,097 | 2010 | 141 | |
| 66 |
Gambia
|
74,577 | 2025 | 140 | |
| 67 |
Malawi
|
70,758 | 2022 | 139 | |
| 68 |
Myanmar
|
65,967 | 2010 | 138 | |
| 69 |
Mozambique
|
64,247 | 2022 | 137 | |
| 70 |
El Salvador
|
57,339 | 2024 | 136 | |
| 71 |
Dominican Republic
|
56,334 | 2024 | 135 | |
| 72 |
Palestine
|
53,793 | 2023 | 134 | |
| 73 |
Nicaragua
|
53,481 | 2023 | 133 | |
| 74 |
Papua New Guinea
|
53,289 | 2021 | 132 | |
| 75 |
Italy
|
52,117 | 2023 | 131 | |
| 76 |
Mexico
|
46,859 | 2024 | 130 | |
| 77 |
Solomon Islands
|
36,440 | 2024 | 129 | |
| 78 |
Thailand
|
36,067 | 2025 | 128 | |
| 79 |
Panama
|
35,837 | 2024 | 127 | |
| 80 |
Mongolia
|
35,209 | 2024 | 126 | |
| 81 |
Spain
|
34,050 | 2024 | 125 | |
| 82 |
Tajikistan
|
33,418 | 2017 | 124 | |
| 83 |
Cuba
|
33,328 | 2024 | 123 | |
| 84 |
Argentina
|
32,816 | 2023 | 122 | |
| 85 |
Türkiye
|
32,563 | 2023 | 121 | |
| 86 |
Chile
|
31,779 | 2024 | 120 | |
| 87 |
Libya
|
30,335 | 1983 | 119 | |
| 88 |
Israel
|
28,644 | 2024 | 118 | |
| 89 |
Turkmenistan
|
28,415 | 2024 | 117 | |
| 90 |
Cabo Verde
|
24,851 | 2022 | 116 | |
| 91 |
Oman
|
21,922 | 2024 | 115 | |
| 92 |
Puerto Rico
|
21,785 | 2024 | 114 | |
| 93 |
Comoros
|
21,743 | 2024 | 113 | |
| 94 |
Jordan
|
21,351 | 2024 | 112 | |
| 95 |
Georgia
|
21,241 | 2024 | 111 | |
| 96 |
Kuwait
|
21,183 | 2016 | 110 | |
| 97 |
Nepal
|
21,146 | 2025 | 109 | |
| 98 |
Belarus
|
20,600 | 2024 | 108 | |
| 99 |
Costa Rica
|
19,701 | 2024 | 107 | |
| 100 |
Rwanda
|
19,504 | 2024 | 106 | |
| 101 |
Morocco
|
18,988 | 2021 | 105 | |
| 102 |
Kyrgyzstan
|
18,854 | 2025 | 104 | |
| 103 |
Uzbekistan
|
18,501 | 2025 | 103 | |
| 104 |
Venezuela
|
17,643 | 2023 | 102 | |
| 105 |
Saudi Arabia
|
17,458 | 2024 | 101 | |
| 106 |
Guyana
|
17,362 | 2023 | 100 | |
| 107 |
Bulgaria
|
14,529 | 2024 | 99 | |
| 108 |
Tunisia
|
14,015 | 2023 | 98 | |
| 109 |
Belgium
|
13,226 | 2023 | 97 | |
| 110 |
Timor-Leste
|
13,085 | 2023 | 96 | |
| 111 |
Sierra Leone
|
12,746 | 2015 | 95 | |
| 112 |
Suriname
|
10,697 | 2024 | 94 | |
| 113 |
Hungary
|
10,500 | 2024 | 93 | |
| 114 |
New Zealand
|
10,396 | 2024 | 92 | |
| 115 |
Ireland
|
10,313 | 2022 | 91 | |
| 116 |
Jamaica
|
9,419 | 2024 | 90 | |
| 117 |
Togo
|
9,263 | 2024 | 89 | |
| 118 |
Trinidad and Tobago
|
9,223 | 2024 | 88 | |
| 119 |
Iran
|
9,163 | 2023 | 87 | |
| 120 |
Germany
|
8,820 | 2024 | 86 | |
| 121 |
Serbia
|
8,749 | 2024 | 85 | |
| 122 |
Qatar
|
8,638 | 2024 | 84 | |
| 123 |
Bhutan
|
8,385 | 2024 | 83 | |
| 124 |
France
|
8,155 | 2024 | 82 | |
| 125 |
North Korea
|
7,727 | 2009 | 81 | |
| 126 |
Eswatini
|
7,275 | 2022 | 80 | |
| 127 |
Finland
|
6,433 | 2024 | 79 | |
| 128 |
Norway
|
6,077 | 2024 | 78 | |
| 129 |
Bahrain
|
5,993 | 2024 | 77 | |
| 130 |
Netherlands
|
5,698 | 2023 | 76 | |
| 131 |
Peru
|
5,359 | 2019 | 75 | |
| 132 |
Austria
|
5,200 | 2024 | 74 | |
| 133 |
Belize
|
4,953 | 2024 | 73 | |
| 134 |
Czechia
|
4,700 | 2023 | 72 | |
| 135 |
Macao
|
4,608 | 2024 | 71 | |
| 136 |
Bahamas
|
4,585 | 2024 | 70 | |
| 137 |
Hong Kong
|
4,491 | 2024 | 69 | |
| 138 |
Sweden
|
4,270 | 2024 | 68 | |
| 139 |
Namibia
|
4,230 | 2024 | 67 | |
| 140 |
Japan
|
4,225 | 2023 | 66 | |
| 141 |
North Macedonia
|
4,151 | 2023 | 65 | |
| 142 |
Denmark
|
3,868 | 2024 | 64 | |
| 143 |
Haiti
|
3,719 | 2016 | 63 | |
| 144 |
Curaçao
|
3,547 | 2024 | 62 | |
| 145 |
Latvia
|
3,481 | 2024 | 61 | |
| 146 |
Barbados
|
3,420 | 2024 | 60 | |
| 147 |
United Kingdom
|
3,326 | 2023 | 59 | |
| 148 |
Micronesia
|
3,301 | 2024 | 58 | |
| 149 |
Estonia
|
3,091 | 2024 | 57 | |
| 150 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
2,933 | 2023 | 56 | |
| 151 |
Australia
|
2,833 | 2024 | 55 | |
| 152 |
Portugal
|
2,741 | 2023 | 54 | |
| 153 |
Croatia
|
2,642 | 2023 | 53 | |
| 154 |
Slovakia
|
2,535 | 2024 | 52 | |
| 155 |
Fiji
|
2,471 | 2024 | 51 | |
| 156 |
Slovenia
|
1,904 | 2023 | 50 | |
| 157 |
Botswana
|
1,869 | 2022 | 49 | |
| 158 |
Armenia
|
1,710 | 2024 | 48 | |
| 159 |
Kiribati
|
1,596 | 2024 | 47 | |
| 160 |
Brunei Darussalam
|
1,438 | 2024 | 46 | |
| 161 |
New Caledonia
|
1,409 | 1991 | 45 | |
| 162 |
Poland
|
1,392 | 2024 | 44 | |
| 163 |
South Korea
|
1,383 | 2024 | 43 | |
| 164 |
Vanuatu
|
1,261 | 2024 | 42 | |
| 165 |
French Polynesia
|
1,103 | 1996 | 41 | |
| 166 |
British Virgin Islands
|
1,080 | 2024 | 40 | |
| 167 |
Saint Lucia
|
1,033 | 2024 | 39 | |
| 168 |
Sao Tome and Principe
|
969 | 2017 | 38 | |
| 169 |
Switzerland
|
787 | 2024 | 37 | |
| 170 |
Malta
|
738 | 2023 | 36 | |
| 171 |
Seychelles
|
699 | 2024 | 35 | |
| 172 |
Samoa
|
626 | 2024 | 34 | |
| 173 |
Greece
|
622 | 2023 | 33 | |
| 174 |
Mauritius
|
618 | 2024 | 32 | |
| 175 |
Albania
|
617 | 2024 | 31 | |
| 176 |
Iceland
|
599 | 2023 | 30 | |
| 177 |
Moldova
|
588 | 2024 | 29 | |
| 178 |
Grenada
|
535 | 2024 | 28 | |
| 179 |
Singapore
|
504 | 2023 | 27 | |
| 180 |
Maldives
|
418 | 2024 | 26 | |
| 181 |
Tonga
|
354 | 2022 | 25 | |
| 182 |
Cyprus
|
247 | 2023 | 24 | |
| 183 |
Cayman Islands
|
234 | 2024 | 23 | |
| 184 |
Dominica
|
230 | 2023 | 22 | |
| 185 |
Sint Maarten
|
196 | 2023 | 21 | |
| 186 |
Lithuania
|
156 | 2024 | 20 | |
| 187 |
Azerbaijan
|
152 | 2024 | 19 | |
| 188 |
Aruba
|
148 | 2014 | 18 | |
| 189 |
Bermuda
|
142 | 2012 | 17 | |
| 190 |
Antigua and Barbuda
|
133 | 2023 | 16 | |
| 191 |
Nauru
|
119 | 2025 | 15 | |
| 192 |
Luxembourg
|
111 | 2024 | 14 | |
| 193 |
Andorra
|
102 | 2024 | 13 | |
| 194 |
Uruguay
|
98 | 2023 | 12 | |
| 195 |
San Marino
|
91 | 2024 | 11 | |
| 196 |
Montenegro
|
80 | 2023 | 10 | |
| 197 |
Marshall Islands
|
78 | 2024 | 9 | |
| 198 |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
|
68 | 2017 | 8 | |
| 199 |
Saint Kitts and Nevis
|
48 | 2008 | 7 | |
| 200 |
Gibraltar
|
43 | 2024 | 6 | |
| 201 |
United Arab Emirates
|
21 | 2024 | 5 | |
| 202 |
Palau
|
18 | 2024 | 4 | |
| 203 |
Liechtenstein
|
16 | 2021 | 3 | |
| 204 |
Tuvalu
|
7 | 2024 | 2 | |
| 205 |
Turks and Caicos Islands
|
4 | 2024 | 1 |
The number of children of primary school age who attend neither primary nor secondary school. The absolute count answers the question of the scale of the task rather than of the state of a country, and for that reason it diverges from the share: a large part of all out-of-school children in the world lives in a few big countries where the share is low, not in those where the share is high. Both numbers matter for planning, and together they produce different lists of priorities.
Important: Primary school age only. Adolescents who do not attend secondary school are not part of this series, although there are more of them.
What share of children of school age are not in school.
Education 1970–2019 Primary school enrollmentThe net enrollment rate: the share of children of school age attending primary school.
Education 1970–2025 Primary completion rateWhat share of children reach the last grade of primary school.
Demography 1960–2025 Children under 15How many children and adolescents younger than 15 there are in a country.