Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024

GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female was 60.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
60.5%
Change on year
up 0.6%
Rank
180th
of 203 groups
All-time high
60.5%
in 2024
All-time low
35.2%
in 1986
Years of data
39
1986–2024

Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024, 1986–2024

02040601986200520241986: 35.2 %1987: 35.9 %1988: 36.5 %1989: 37.1 %1990: 37.9 %1991: 38.5 %1992: 39.1 %1993: 39.9 %1994: 40.6 %1995: 41.3 %1996: 42.2 %1997: 43.3 %1998: 44 %1999: 45 %2000: 43.3 %2001: 44.4 %2002: 44.6 %2003: 45.4 %2004: 46 %2005: 45.8 %2006: 44.9 %2007: 45.1 %2008: 45.6 %2009: 46 %2010: 47 %2011: 49.2 %2012: 50.7 %2013: 51.8 %2014: 52.7 %2015: 53.6 %2016: 54.5 %2017: 55.8 %2018: 58.1 %2019: 58.4 %2020: 58.7 %2021: 59.2 %2022: 59.7 %2023: 60.1 %2024: 60.5 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 is 60.5%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 39 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 14.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 peaked at 60.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 35.2%, in 1986.

That places GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 180th out of 203 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 39 years of available data.

Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024, year by year

Annual values for Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female (%) in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024, 1986 to 2024.
Year % Change
1986 35.2%
1987 35.9% +2.0%
1988 36.5% +1.7%
1989 37.1% +1.6%
1990 37.9% +2.1%
1991 38.5% +1.7%
1992 39.1% +1.6%
1993 39.9% +1.9%
1994 40.6% +1.9%
1995 41.3% +1.7%
1996 42.2% +2.1%
1997 43.3% +2.5%
1998 44.0% +1.7%
1999 45.0% +2.2%
2000 43.3% -3.7%
2001 44.4% +2.4%
2002 44.6% +0.6%
2003 45.4% +1.8%
2004 46.0% +1.4%
2005 45.8% -0.6%
2006 44.9% -2.0%
2007 45.1% +0.5%
2008 45.6% +1.0%
2009 46.0% +0.8%
2010 47.0% +2.3%
2011 49.2% +4.7%
2012 50.7% +3.0%
2013 51.8% +2.2%
2014 52.7% +1.7%
2015 53.6% +1.6%
2016 54.5% +1.7%
2017 55.8% +2.4%
2018 58.1% +4.1%
2019 58.4% +0.6%
2020 58.7% +0.5%
2021 59.2% +0.9%
2022 59.7% +0.8%
2023 60.1% +0.7%
2024 60.5% +0.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 36.2% 35.2% 37.1% 4
1990s 41.2% 37.9% 45.0% 10
2000s 45.1% 43.3% 46.0% 10
2010s 53.2% 47.0% 58.4% 10
2020s 59.6% 58.7% 60.5% 5

More education data for GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024

All data for GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 →

Frequently asked questions

What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024?
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 was 60.5% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female recorded in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024?
The highest recorded value was 60.5% in 2024.
What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female recorded in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024?
The lowest recorded value was 35.2% in 1986.
How does GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female?
GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 ranks 180th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female rising or falling in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024?
Over the last ten years it is up 14.8%. 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 literacy rate, population 15+ years, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 18 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/adult-literacy-rate-population-15-years-female-percent/gpe-sub-saharan-africa-wb-fy24-december-2024/

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About this data

Indicator
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
292 places, 9,572 data points, 1970–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release