Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in MDG: Northern Africa
MDG: Northern Africa: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes was 77.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in MDG: Northern Africa, 1972–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in MDG: Northern Africa is 77.5%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 53 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 3.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in MDG: Northern Africa peaked at 77.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 35.9%, in 1972.
MDG: Northern Africa ranks 123rd of 203 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 53 years of available data.
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in MDG: Northern Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 35.9% | — |
| 1973 | 36.2% | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 36.5% | +0.9% |
| 1975 | 36.9% | +1.0% |
| 1976 | 37.3% | +1.1% |
| 1977 | 37.7% | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 38.3% | +1.5% |
| 1979 | 38.9% | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 39.6% | +2.0% |
| 1981 | 40.4% | +2.0% |
| 1982 | 41.2% | +2.0% |
| 1983 | 41.1% | -0.2% |
| 1984 | 42.3% | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 43.5% | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 44.8% | +2.8% |
| 1987 | 46.0% | +2.7% |
| 1988 | 47.2% | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 48.4% | +2.5% |
| 1990 | 49.6% | +2.5% |
| 1991 | 51.1% | +3.0% |
| 1992 | 52.3% | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 53.0% | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 54.1% | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 55.2% | +2.1% |
| 1996 | 56.3% | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 57.5% | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 58.6% | +2.1% |
| 1999 | 59.7% | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 60.7% | +1.7% |
| 2001 | 62.0% | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 63.0% | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 67.6% | +7.2% |
| 2004 | 68.4% | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 69.0% | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 66.7% | -3.4% |
| 2007 | 67.4% | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 68.4% | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 70.0% | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 70.7% | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 73.0% | +3.2% |
| 2012 | 74.2% | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 75.6% | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 75.0% | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 75.7% | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 72.5% | -4.3% |
| 2017 | 73.2% | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 73.9% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 74.5% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 75.0% | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 75.7% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 76.3% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 76.9% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 77.5% | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 37.2% | 35.9% | 38.9% | 8 |
| 1980s | 43.5% | 39.6% | 48.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 54.7% | 49.6% | 59.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 66.3% | 60.7% | 70.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 73.8% | 70.7% | 75.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 76.3% | 75.0% | 77.5% | 5 |
More education data for MDG: Northern Africa
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.09 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 11.37 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 697,877 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 5.59 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.09 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 4.53 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 23.16 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.66 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 13.43 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.42 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in MDG: Northern Africa?
- Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in MDG: Northern Africa was 77.5% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in MDG: Northern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 77.5% in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in MDG: Northern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.9% in 1972.
- How does MDG: Northern Africa rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes?
- MDG: Northern Africa ranks 123rd out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in MDG: Northern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this MDG: Northern Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release