Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in WB: Africa Western and Central
WB: Africa Western and Central: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female was 48.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in WB: Africa Western and Central, 1985–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in WB: Africa Western and Central is 48.1%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 40 years on record.
The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 20.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in WB: Africa Western and Central peaked at 48.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 21.9%, in 1985.
WB: Africa Western and Central ranks 193rd 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.
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in WB: Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 21.9% | — |
| 1986 | 22.2% | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 22.9% | +3.3% |
| 1988 | 23.7% | +3.4% |
| 1989 | 24.5% | +3.5% |
| 1990 | 25.3% | +3.4% |
| 1991 | 26.2% | +3.4% |
| 1992 | 27.0% | +3.2% |
| 1993 | 27.9% | +3.2% |
| 1994 | 28.8% | +3.2% |
| 1995 | 29.4% | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 30.4% | +3.3% |
| 1997 | 31.5% | +3.7% |
| 1998 | 32.7% | +3.9% |
| 1999 | 33.9% | +3.6% |
| 2000 | 30.1% | -11.2% |
| 2001 | 31.3% | +3.9% |
| 2002 | 32.3% | +3.2% |
| 2003 | 33.3% | +3.3% |
| 2004 | 34.4% | +3.3% |
| 2005 | 34.8% | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 35.8% | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 34.4% | -3.9% |
| 2008 | 35.2% | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 35.2% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 36.3% | +3.1% |
| 2011 | 37.5% | +3.2% |
| 2012 | 38.0% | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 38.9% | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 39.8% | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 40.7% | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 41.3% | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 42.3% | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 46.8% | +10.7% |
| 2019 | 46.9% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 47.1% | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 47.4% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 47.7% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 48.0% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 48.1% | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 23.0% | 21.9% | 24.5% | 5 |
| 1990s | 29.3% | 25.3% | 33.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 33.7% | 30.1% | 35.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.9% | 36.3% | 46.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.7% | 47.1% | 48.1% | 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 literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in WB: Africa Western and Central was 48.1% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female recorded in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 48.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female recorded in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.9% in 1985.
- How does WB: Africa Western and Central rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female?
- WB: Africa Western and Central ranks 193rd out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female rising or falling in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.9%. 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 Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release