Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa
SDG: Northern Africa: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 73.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa, 1973–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa is 73.2%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 52 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 5.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa peaked at 73.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 31.9%, in 1973.
That places SDG: Northern Africa 136th 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 52 years of available data.
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 31.9% | — |
| 1974 | 32.2% | +1.0% |
| 1975 | 32.5% | +0.9% |
| 1976 | 32.8% | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 33.1% | +0.9% |
| 1978 | 33.6% | +1.5% |
| 1979 | 34.2% | +1.6% |
| 1980 | 34.9% | +2.1% |
| 1981 | 35.6% | +2.1% |
| 1982 | 36.3% | +2.0% |
| 1983 | 35.9% | -1.2% |
| 1984 | 36.8% | +2.5% |
| 1985 | 37.7% | +2.5% |
| 1986 | 38.7% | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 39.7% | +2.6% |
| 1988 | 40.7% | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 41.8% | +2.7% |
| 1990 | 43.0% | +2.7% |
| 1991 | 44.2% | +2.8% |
| 1992 | 45.3% | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 47.0% | +3.8% |
| 1994 | 48.0% | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 49.1% | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 50.3% | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 51.5% | +2.5% |
| 1998 | 53.1% | +3.0% |
| 1999 | 54.3% | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 55.5% | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 56.9% | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 58.0% | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 62.9% | +8.4% |
| 2004 | 63.9% | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 64.7% | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 60.3% | -6.9% |
| 2007 | 61.0% | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 62.0% | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 64.0% | +3.2% |
| 2010 | 64.9% | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 67.7% | +4.3% |
| 2012 | 68.8% | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 70.1% | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 69.6% | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 70.6% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 68.1% | -3.5% |
| 2017 | 69.0% | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 69.8% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 70.4% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 70.9% | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 71.5% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 72.0% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 72.6% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 73.2% | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 32.9% | 31.9% | 34.2% | 7 |
| 1980s | 37.8% | 34.9% | 41.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 48.6% | 43.0% | 54.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 60.9% | 55.5% | 64.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 68.9% | 64.9% | 70.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 72.1% | 70.9% | 73.2% | 5 |
More education data for SDG: Northern Africa
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 26.17 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 4.36 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 12.91 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 4.66 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.30 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 3.99 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.47 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 33.17 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.18 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 13.26 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa?
- Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa was 73.2% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in SDG: Northern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 73.2% in 2024.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in SDG: Northern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.9% in 1973.
- How does SDG: Northern Africa rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
- SDG: Northern Africa ranks 136th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Northern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: 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