Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female in WB: Africa Western and Central
WB: Africa Western and Central: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female was 52.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female in WB: Africa Western and Central, 1985–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female in WB: Africa Western and Central stood at 52.9%. That is the highest value across all 40 years on record.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 17.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female in WB: Africa Western and Central peaked at 52.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 28.6%, in 1985.
WB: Africa Western and Central ranks 195th of 203 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 40 years of available data.
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female in WB: Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 28.6% | — |
| 1986 | 28.9% | +1.0% |
| 1987 | 29.7% | +2.8% |
| 1988 | 30.4% | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 31.3% | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 32.1% | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 33.0% | +2.8% |
| 1992 | 33.9% | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 34.9% | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 35.9% | +2.9% |
| 1995 | 36.3% | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 37.4% | +2.8% |
| 1997 | 38.5% | +3.0% |
| 1998 | 39.7% | +3.3% |
| 1999 | 40.8% | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 36.0% | -11.8% |
| 2001 | 37.2% | +3.5% |
| 2002 | 38.1% | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 39.0% | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 40.1% | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 40.4% | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 41.3% | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 39.9% | -3.5% |
| 2008 | 40.5% | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 40.4% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 41.4% | +2.4% |
| 2011 | 42.6% | +3.0% |
| 2012 | 43.2% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 44.1% | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 45.0% | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 46.0% | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 46.7% | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 47.8% | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 51.6% | +8.1% |
| 2019 | 51.6% | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 51.9% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 52.2% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 52.5% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 52.8% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 52.9% | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 29.8% | 28.6% | 31.3% | 5 |
| 1990s | 36.2% | 32.1% | 40.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 39.3% | 36.0% | 41.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 46.0% | 41.4% | 51.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 52.4% | 51.9% | 52.9% | 5 |
More education data for WB: Africa Western and Central
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 4.61 million (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 7.4 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.89 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.08 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.08 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.7294 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.00 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 6.08 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.09 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 18.05 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female in WB: Africa Western and Central was 52.9% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female recorded in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 52.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female recorded in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.6% in 1985.
- How does WB: Africa Western and Central rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female?
- WB: Africa Western and Central ranks 195th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female rising or falling in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this WB: Africa Western and Central 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