World—Primary School Teachers
World's primary school teachers was 34.1M in 2024, ranking #1 out of 201 countries. This represents a +1.2% change from 2023. Over the past 25 years, the highest recorded value was 34.1M (2024) and the lowest was 24.9M (2000). Data sourced from the World Bank World Development Indicators.
Historical Data
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 34.1M | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 33.7M | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 33.3M | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 33.4M | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 33.0M | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 32.7M | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 32.2M | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 32.1M | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 32.1M | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 31.4M | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 30.9M | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 30.6M | +3.8% |
| 2012 | 29.5M | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 29.2M | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 28.7M | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 28.2M | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 27.8M | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 27.6M | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 27.1M | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 26.9M | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 26.7M | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 26.0M | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 25.3M | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 25.2M | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 24.9M |
Top Countries — Primary School Teachers
| # | Country | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | World | 34.1M | 2024 |
| 2 | China | 6.7M | 2024 |
| 3 | India | 5.2M | 2025 |
| 4 | United States | 1.8M | 2023 |
| 5 | Indonesia | 1.5M | 2025 |
| 6 | Nigeria | 913,305 | 2021 |
| 7 | Brazil | 696,748 | 2024 |
| 8 | Mexico | 571,832 | 2023 |
| 9 | DR Congo | 561,172 | 2023 |
| 10 | Philippines | 527,504 | 2024 |
About This Indicator
Definition
Primary education, teachers refers to the total number of teachers at primary level, including full-time and part-time teachers.
Methodology
Data compiled by 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. Detailed documentation is available at: https://api.uis.unesco.org/api/public/documentation/, publisher: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), type: Bulk file (csv), date accessed: 2025-09-22, date published: 2025-09.
Unit
teachers