Liberia: Primary education, pupils

Key figures

Over five years it is down 10.34% from 635,478 in 2017 (2.16% a year on average, compounded). Since 1970 it is up 610.25% from 80,217 in 1970 (3.84% a year on average, compounded). The World Bank has no value for 29 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2022, Liberia's primary education, pupils fell 0.4% on 2021 (from 572,127 to 569,741).

Across the 13 yearly changes before that (1971 to 2021), the average change was +12.5% and a typical year strayed about 24.2% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 83% in 2014 and the biggest yearly fall was 5.8% in 2021. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2013 to 2022 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 1% of the movement over 8 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

See how every economy compares in the full ranking.

Closest to Liberia in the 2022 ranking

• Mozambique — 1st of 8: 7.66 million
• Colombia — 2nd of 8: 4.14 million
• Benin — 3rd of 8: 2.4 million
• Ireland — 5th of 8: 548,873
• Eritrea — 6th of 8: 398,090
• Botswana — 7th of 8: 381,674

What this measures

Primary education pupils is the total number of pupils enrolled at primary level in public and private schools.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.

All 24 values

Primary education, pupils in nearby economies

• Angola — 5.38 million (2023)
• Benin — 2.4 million (2022)
• Botswana — 381,674 (2022)
• Burkina Faso — 3.07 million (2024)
• Burundi — 2.52 million (2025)
• Cabo Verde — 61,167 (2022)
• Cameroon — 5.29 million (2024)
• Central African Republic — 813,767 (2016)
• Chad — 3.05 million (2024)
• Comoros — 102,152 (2024)
• Congo, Dem. Rep. — 21.15 million (2023)
• Congo, Rep.

More education data for Liberia

• Primary school starting age (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 12 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Preprimary education, duration (years) — 3 (2025)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 66.59% (2022)
• Compulsory education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 67.42% (2022)
• School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 65.79% (2022)
• School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index (GPI)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Liberia's primary education, pupils?

569,741 in 2022, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1970?

It is up 610.25% from 80,217 in 1970 (3.84% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 684,404 in 2015 and the lowest 80,217 in 1970.

Is the latest change in primary education, pupils unusual for Liberia?

In 2022, Liberia's primary education, pupils fell 0.4% on 2021 (from 572,127 to 569,741). Across the 13 yearly changes before that (1971 to 2021), the average change was +12.5% and a typical year strayed about 24.2% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Where does this data come from?

The World Bank's World Development Indicators, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources, note: The data are obtained through the UIS API..

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.PRM.ENRL, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources, note: The data are obtained through the UIS API. Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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