Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa
SDG: Northern Africa: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes was 74.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
74.9%
Change on year
up 0.7%
Rank
136th
of 203 groups
All-time high
74.9%
in 2024
All-time low
39.5%
in 1974
Years of data
51
1974–2024
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa, 1974–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
SDG: Northern Africa recorded 74.9% for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in 2024. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.
The figure is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa peaked at 74.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 39.5%, in 1974.
SDG: Northern Africa ranks 136th of 203 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 39.5% | — |
| 1975 | 39.8% | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 40.1% | +0.8% |
| 1977 | 40.5% | +0.8% |
| 1978 | 41.0% | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 41.5% | +1.2% |
| 1980 | 42.1% | +1.6% |
| 1981 | 42.8% | +1.6% |
| 1982 | 43.5% | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 43.4% | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 44.4% | +2.3% |
| 1985 | 45.5% | +2.4% |
| 1986 | 46.5% | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 47.6% | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 48.6% | +2.2% |
| 1989 | 49.6% | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 50.6% | +2.1% |
| 1991 | 51.9% | +2.5% |
| 1992 | 52.9% | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 53.6% | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 54.5% | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 55.5% | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 56.6% | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 57.7% | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 58.9% | +2.0% |
| 1999 | 60.0% | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 61.0% | +1.7% |
| 2001 | 62.2% | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 63.2% | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 67.3% | +6.5% |
| 2004 | 68.2% | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 68.9% | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 64.7% | -6.0% |
| 2007 | 65.4% | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 66.4% | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 67.9% | +2.2% |
| 2010 | 68.6% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 70.6% | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 71.7% | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 73.1% | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 72.6% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 73.3% | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 70.6% | -3.7% |
| 2017 | 71.3% | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 72.0% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 72.4% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 72.9% | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 73.4% | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 73.9% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 74.3% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 74.9% | +0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 40.4% | 39.5% | 41.5% | 6 |
| 1980s | 45.4% | 42.1% | 49.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 55.2% | 50.6% | 60.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 65.5% | 61.0% | 68.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 71.6% | 68.6% | 73.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 73.9% | 72.9% | 74.9% | 5 |
More education data for SDG: Northern Africa
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 26.17 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 4.36 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 12.91 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 4.66 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.30 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 3.99 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.47 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 33.17 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.18 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 13.26 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa?
- Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa was 74.9% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in SDG: Northern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 74.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in SDG: Northern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 39.5% in 1974.
- How does SDG: Northern Africa rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes?
- SDG: Northern Africa ranks 136th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Northern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: 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