Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male was 87.59 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1985–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
In 2019, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 87.59 million number. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.1% on the previous year and up 14.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 87.59 million number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 47.17 million number, in 1985.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 13th out of 39 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 47.17 million number | — |
| 1986 | 48.08 million number | +1.9% |
| 1987 | 48.71 million number | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 49.65 million number | +1.9% |
| 1989 | 50.39 million number | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 51.21 million number | +1.6% |
| 1991 | 52.58 million number | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 53.18 million number | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 54.05 million number | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 54.75 million number | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 56.34 million number | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 57.13 million number | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 57.72 million number | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 58.33 million number | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 58.78 million number | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 62.48 million number | +6.3% |
| 2001 | 62.74 million number | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 62.48 million number | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 64.02 million number | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 62.07 million number | -3.1% |
| 2005 | 66.55 million number | +7.2% |
| 2006 | 68.16 million number | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 74.11 million number | +8.7% |
| 2008 | 76.61 million number | +3.4% |
| 2009 | 76.79 million number | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 78.13 million number | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 77.43 million number | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 77.20 million number | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 77.80 million number | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 78.80 million number | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 80.33 million number | +1.9% |
| 2016 | 81.57 million number | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 84.18 million number | +3.2% |
| 2018 | 85.76 million number | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 87.59 million number | +2.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 48.80 million number | 47.17 million number | 50.39 million number | 5 |
| 1990s | 55.40 million number | 51.21 million number | 58.78 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 67.60 million number | 62.07 million number | 76.79 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 80.88 million number | 77.20 million number | 87.59 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 10 Iran, Islamic Republic of 2.94 million number compare
- 11 Burkina Faso 2.67 million number compare
- 12 Mali 2.66 million number compare
- 13 Indonesia 2.63 million number compare
- 14 Chad 2.60 million number compare
- 15 South Africa 2.43 million number compare
- 16 Tanzania, United Republic of 2.36 million number compare
More education data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 5.14 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 81.43 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 196.80 million (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 40.4% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9738 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 56.4% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1526 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa was 87.59 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 87.59 million number in 2019.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 47.17 million number in 1985.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 13th out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total number of males over age 15 who cannot both read and write with understanding a short simple statement on their everyday life.