Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female in MDG: Northern Africa
MDG: Northern Africa: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female was 71.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female in MDG: Northern Africa, 1972–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female in MDG: Northern Africa stood at 71.1%. That is the highest value across all 53 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 6.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female in MDG: Northern Africa peaked at 71.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 20.4%, in 1972.
That places MDG: Northern Africa 123rd out of 203 groups with data for 2024, putting it 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, female in MDG: Northern Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 20.4% | — |
| 1973 | 20.8% | +2.0% |
| 1974 | 21.3% | +2.1% |
| 1975 | 21.7% | +2.1% |
| 1976 | 22.2% | +2.1% |
| 1977 | 22.6% | +2.2% |
| 1978 | 23.3% | +3.0% |
| 1979 | 24.0% | +3.0% |
| 1980 | 24.9% | +3.7% |
| 1981 | 25.8% | +3.7% |
| 1982 | 26.7% | +3.6% |
| 1983 | 27.1% | +1.4% |
| 1984 | 28.4% | +4.7% |
| 1985 | 29.7% | +4.7% |
| 1986 | 31.1% | +4.6% |
| 1987 | 32.4% | +4.4% |
| 1988 | 33.8% | +4.3% |
| 1989 | 35.2% | +4.1% |
| 1990 | 36.6% | +4.0% |
| 1991 | 38.2% | +4.3% |
| 1992 | 39.6% | +3.7% |
| 1993 | 39.6% | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 40.9% | +3.4% |
| 1995 | 42.3% | +3.3% |
| 1996 | 43.7% | +3.3% |
| 1997 | 45.1% | +3.2% |
| 1998 | 46.4% | +3.0% |
| 1999 | 47.8% | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 49.1% | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 50.6% | +3.0% |
| 2002 | 51.9% | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 55.3% | +6.6% |
| 2004 | 56.5% | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 57.4% | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 56.5% | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 57.3% | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 58.8% | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 60.2% | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 61.1% | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 63.9% | +4.7% |
| 2012 | 65.1% | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 67.0% | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 66.5% | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 67.4% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 64.8% | -3.9% |
| 2017 | 65.8% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 66.5% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 67.3% | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 68.0% | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 68.8% | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 69.6% | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 70.3% | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 71.1% | +1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 22.1% | 20.4% | 24.0% | 8 |
| 1980s | 29.5% | 24.9% | 35.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 42.0% | 36.6% | 47.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 55.4% | 49.1% | 60.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 65.5% | 61.1% | 67.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 69.6% | 68.0% | 71.1% | 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, female in MDG: Northern Africa?
- Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female in MDG: Northern Africa was 71.1% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female recorded in MDG: Northern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 71.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female recorded in MDG: Northern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.4% in 1972.
- How does MDG: Northern Africa rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female?
- MDG: Northern Africa ranks 123rd out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female rising or falling in MDG: Northern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.8%. 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, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release