Netherlands: Primary education, pupils

Key figures

Over five years it is down 2.7% from 1.18 million in 2018 (0.55% a year on average, compounded). Since 1971 it is down 21.82% from 1.46 million in 1971 (0.47% a year on average, compounded). The World Bank has no value for 2 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2023, Netherlands' primary education, pupils rose 0.1% on 2022 (from 1.14 million to 1.14 million).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1990 to 2022), the average change was +0.4% and a typical year strayed about 2.5% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 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 12.1% in 1994 and the biggest yearly fall was 5.4% in 1983. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2023 the straight-line trend is downward, about 7,937 a year. A straight line explains 97% of the movement over 9 observed years.

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

How it compares

In 2023, Netherlands had the 20th highest value of the 44 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Netherlands in the 2023 ranking

• Papua New Guinea — 17th of 44: 1.65 million
• Sri Lanka — 18th of 44: 1.58 million
• Tunisia — 19th of 44: 1.34 million
• Congo, Rep. — 21st of 44: 880,625
• Nicaragua — 22nd of 44: 880,080
• Romania — 23rd of 44: 873,154

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 51 values

Primary education, pupils in nearby economies

• Albania — 141,089 (2024)
• Andorra — 4,218 (2024)
• Armenia — 160,885 (2024)
• Austria — 368,502 (2024)
• Azerbaijan — 603,966 (2024)
• Belarus — 444,044 (2024)
• Belgium — 814,388 (2023)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 141,518 (2023)
• Bulgaria — 234,521 (2024)
• Croatia — 147,483 (2023)
• Cyprus — 60,596 (2024)
• Czechia

More education data for Netherlands

• 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)
• Secondary education, pupils — 1.61 million (2023)
• Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) — 5.18% (2022)
• School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 1 (2020)
• School enrollment, primary and secondary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 1.01 (2020)
• School enrollment, secondary (gross), gender parity index (GPI)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Netherlands's primary education, pupils?

1.14 million in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1971?

It is down 21.82% from 1.46 million in 1971 (0.47% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 1.46 million in 1972 and the lowest 1.04 million in 1992.

How does Netherlands rank?

20th highest of 44 economies with data for 2023.

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

In 2023, Netherlands' primary education, pupils rose 0.1% on 2022 (from 1.14 million to 1.14 million). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1990 to 2022), the average change was +0.4% and a typical year strayed about 2.5% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

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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