Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in MDG: Northern Africa
MDG: Northern Africa: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 76.0% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
76.0%
Change on year
up 0.9%
Rank
124th
of 203 groups
All-time high
76.0%
in 2024
All-time low
28.4%
in 1971
Years of data
54
1971–2024
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in MDG: Northern Africa, 1971–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
MDG: Northern Africa recorded 76.0% for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in 2024. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 5.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in MDG: Northern Africa peaked at 76.0% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 28.4%, in 1971.
MDG: Northern Africa ranks 124th of 203 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in MDG: Northern Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 28.4% | — |
| 1972 | 28.6% | +1.0% |
| 1973 | 29.0% | +1.1% |
| 1974 | 29.3% | +1.1% |
| 1975 | 29.6% | +1.1% |
| 1976 | 29.9% | +1.2% |
| 1977 | 30.3% | +1.2% |
| 1978 | 30.9% | +1.8% |
| 1979 | 31.4% | +1.9% |
| 1980 | 32.2% | +2.5% |
| 1981 | 33.0% | +2.5% |
| 1982 | 33.9% | +2.5% |
| 1983 | 33.3% | -1.6% |
| 1984 | 34.4% | +3.2% |
| 1985 | 35.5% | +3.2% |
| 1986 | 36.6% | +3.2% |
| 1987 | 37.8% | +3.3% |
| 1988 | 39.1% | +3.3% |
| 1989 | 40.4% | +3.4% |
| 1990 | 41.7% | +3.2% |
| 1991 | 43.1% | +3.4% |
| 1992 | 44.5% | +3.1% |
| 1993 | 46.5% | +4.5% |
| 1994 | 47.6% | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 48.9% | +2.5% |
| 1996 | 50.1% | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 51.3% | +2.5% |
| 1998 | 52.9% | +3.1% |
| 1999 | 54.2% | +2.4% |
| 2000 | 55.4% | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 56.8% | +2.7% |
| 2002 | 58.0% | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 63.4% | +9.3% |
| 2004 | 64.4% | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 65.2% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 62.1% | -4.6% |
| 2007 | 62.8% | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 63.9% | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 66.1% | +3.4% |
| 2010 | 67.0% | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 70.0% | +4.6% |
| 2012 | 71.3% | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 72.6% | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 72.0% | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 73.0% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 70.1% | -4.0% |
| 2017 | 71.0% | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 71.9% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 72.6% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 73.2% | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 73.9% | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 74.6% | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 75.3% | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 76.0% | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 29.7% | 28.4% | 31.4% | 9 |
| 1980s | 35.6% | 32.2% | 40.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 48.1% | 41.7% | 54.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 61.8% | 55.4% | 66.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 71.1% | 67.0% | 73.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 74.6% | 73.2% | 76.0% | 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 literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in MDG: Northern Africa?
- Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in MDG: Northern Africa was 76.0% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in MDG: Northern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 76.0% in 2024.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in MDG: Northern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.4% in 1971.
- How does MDG: Northern Africa rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
- MDG: Northern Africa ranks 124th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in MDG: Northern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.6%. 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 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