Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in ECA: North Africa (unsdcode:98103)
ECA: North Africa (unsdcode:98103): Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 73.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
73.1%
Change on year
up 0.8%
Rank
137th
of 203 groups
All-time high
73.1%
in 2024
All-time low
32.4%
in 1974
Years of data
51
1974–2024
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in ECA: North Africa (unsdcode:98103), 1974–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in ECA: North Africa (unsdcode:98103) stood at 73.1%. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.
The figure is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 5.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in ECA: North Africa (unsdcode:98103) peaked at 73.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 32.4%, in 1974.
ECA: North Africa (unsdcode:98103) ranks 137th 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.
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in ECA: North Africa (unsdcode:98103), year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 32.4% | — |
| 1975 | 32.6% | +0.9% |
| 1976 | 33.0% | +0.9% |
| 1977 | 33.3% | +0.9% |
| 1978 | 33.8% | +1.5% |
| 1979 | 34.3% | +1.6% |
| 1980 | 35.0% | +2.0% |
| 1981 | 35.7% | +2.1% |
| 1982 | 36.4% | +2.0% |
| 1983 | 36.0% | -1.1% |
| 1984 | 36.9% | +2.4% |
| 1985 | 37.8% | +2.4% |
| 1986 | 38.7% | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 39.7% | +2.6% |
| 1988 | 40.8% | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 41.9% | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 43.0% | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 44.2% | +2.8% |
| 1992 | 45.3% | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 47.0% | +3.7% |
| 1994 | 48.0% | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 49.0% | +2.1% |
| 1996 | 50.2% | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 51.5% | +2.5% |
| 1998 | 53.0% | +3.0% |
| 1999 | 54.2% | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 55.4% | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 56.8% | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 57.9% | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 62.7% | +8.3% |
| 2004 | 63.8% | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 64.5% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 60.0% | -6.8% |
| 2007 | 60.8% | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 61.8% | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 63.8% | +3.2% |
| 2010 | 64.6% | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 67.4% | +4.3% |
| 2012 | 68.7% | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 70.0% | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 69.5% | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 70.5% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 68.0% | -3.5% |
| 2017 | 68.9% | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 69.7% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 70.3% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 70.8% | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 71.4% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 72.0% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 72.5% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 73.1% | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 33.2% | 32.4% | 34.3% | 6 |
| 1980s | 37.9% | 35.0% | 41.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 48.5% | 43.0% | 54.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 60.7% | 55.4% | 64.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 68.8% | 64.6% | 70.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 72.0% | 70.8% | 73.1% | 5 |
More education data for ECA: North Africa (unsdcode:98103)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 3.86 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 3.98 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.32 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 4.75 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 13.06 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 4.35 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 13.41 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 3.62 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.59 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 4.06 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in ECA: North Africa (unsdcode:98103)?
- Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in ECA: North Africa (unsdcode:98103) was 73.1% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in ECA: North Africa (unsdcode:98103)?
- The highest recorded value was 73.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in ECA: North Africa (unsdcode:98103)?
- The lowest recorded value was 32.4% in 1974.
- How does ECA: North Africa (unsdcode:98103) rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
- ECA: North Africa (unsdcode:98103) ranks 137th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in ECA: North Africa (unsdcode:98103)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this ECA: North Africa (unsdcode:98103) data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release