In 2015, 5.7 million people worked as school teachers in the European Union (EU). These are teachers who work at primary through to upper secondary level.
Women were largely predominant, accounting for 72% (4.1 million teachers).
Of the teachers working in the EU, 0.5 million (9% of the total) were under 30 years old, while 2 million (around 36%) were aged 50 or older.
This news item marks World Teachers' Day, celebrated each year on 5 October.
More than 85% of teachers are women in Latvia and Lithuania
In all EU Member States, school teachers in 2015 were predominantly female. The share of female teachers was the highest in Latvia (87%), Lithuania (85%), Bulgaria and Estonia (both 83%), Slovenia (81%), Ireland and Italy (both 80%).
The source dataset is here.
More than half of teachers have reached the age of 50 in Italy
36% teachers in the EU primary and secondary schools were 50 or more years old in 2015. In Italy, more than half of teachers fell in this age group (57%). High shares were also registered in Bulgaria (48%), Estonia and Lithuania (both 47%), Latvia and Germany (both 45%).
9% of teachers in the EU were over 60 years old, with the highest shares in this age group found again in Italy (18%) and Estonia (17%).