Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female was 61.0% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Latest (2024)
61.0%
Change on year
unchanged
Rank
109th
of 203 groups
All-time high
63.0%
in 2002
All-time low
61.0%
in 2016
Years of data
36
1989–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa recorded 61.0% for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 63.0% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 61.0%, in 2016.
That places SDG: Sub-saharan Africa 109th out of 203 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 62.0% | — |
| 1990 | 62.0% | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 62.0% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 62.0% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 62.0% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 62.0% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 62.0% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 62.0% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 62.0% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 62.0% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 62.0% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 62.0% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 62.0% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 63.0% | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 63.0% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 63.0% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 63.0% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 63.0% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 62.0% | -1.6% |
| 2008 | 62.0% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 62.0% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 62.0% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 62.0% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 62.0% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 62.0% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 62.0% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 62.0% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 61.0% | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 61.0% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 61.0% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 61.0% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 61.0% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 61.0% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 61.0% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 61.0% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 61.0% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 62.0% | 62.0% | 62.0% | 1 |
| 1990s | 62.0% | 62.0% | 62.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 62.5% | 62.0% | 63.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 61.6% | 61.0% | 62.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 61.0% | 61.0% | 61.0% | 5 |
More education data for SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 191.30 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.31 % change on previous year (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 14.32 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.68 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 37.60 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 12.63 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 12.47 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.8202 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.94 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 97.68 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 61.0% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 63.0% in 2002.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 61.0% in 2016.
- How does SDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female?
- SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 109th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female rising or falling in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this SDG: Sub-saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release