Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024
GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female was 139.73 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
139.73 million
Change on year
up 2.2%
Rank
43rd
of 203 groups
All-time high
139.73 million
in 2024
All-time low
80.59 million
in 1990
Years of data
36
1989–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024, 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 recorded 139.73 million for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in 2024. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is up 2.2% on the previous year and up 14.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 peaked at 139.73 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 80.59 million, in 1990.
GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 ranks 43rd of 203 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 81.58 million | — |
| 1990 | 80.59 million | -1.2% |
| 1991 | 81.98 million | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 83.48 million | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 84.80 million | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 86.05 million | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 88.09 million | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 89.18 million | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 89.65 million | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 90.86 million | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 91.93 million | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 97.42 million | +6.0% |
| 2001 | 98.43 million | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 100.84 million | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 102.23 million | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 103.98 million | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 107.56 million | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 112.57 million | +4.7% |
| 2007 | 115.36 million | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 117.75 million | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 120.48 million | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 121.67 million | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 120.15 million | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 120.22 million | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 121.56 million | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 122.50 million | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 123.90 million | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 125.19 million | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 125.58 million | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 122.87 million | -2.2% |
| 2019 | 125.86 million | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 128.92 million | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 131.44 million | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 134.01 million | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 136.75 million | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 139.73 million | +2.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 81.58 million | 81.58 million | 81.58 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 86.66 million | 80.59 million | 91.93 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 107.66 million | 97.42 million | 120.48 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 122.95 million | 120.15 million | 125.86 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 134.17 million | 128.92 million | 139.73 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024
More education data for GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.49 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.34 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.79 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.8454 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 35.82 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.54 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 39.26 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.16 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 25.27 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 5.38 million (2021)
All data for GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 →
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 was 139.73 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female recorded in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024?
- The highest recorded value was 139.73 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female recorded in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024?
- The lowest recorded value was 80.59 million in 1990.
- How does GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female?
- GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 ranks 43rd out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female rising or falling in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release