Literacy rate, youth female in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Literacy rate, youth female was 44.2% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, youth female in Afghanistan, 1979–2022
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of females ages 15-24.
Analysis
In 2022, literacy rate, youth female in Afghanistan stood at 44.2%. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.2% on the previous year and up 37.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, youth female in Afghanistan peaked at 44.2% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 11.1%, in 1979.
Afghanistan ranks 101st of 105 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Literacy rate, youth female in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % of females ages 15-24 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 11.1% | — |
| 2011 | 32.1% | +188.2% |
| 2015 | 25.5% | -20.6% |
| 2020 | 40.1% | +57.2% |
| 2021 | 41.6% | +3.8% |
| 2022 | 44.2% | +6.2% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 44.2% is below the median for low income countries, which is 67.9%, 65% of the median. (17 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 44.2% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 98.6%, 45% of the median. (17 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 11.1% | 11.1% | 11.1% | 1 |
| 2010s | 28.8% | 25.5% | 32.1% | 2 |
| 2020s | 41.9% | 40.1% | 44.2% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More education data for Afghanistan
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 88,020 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 343,942 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 13,837 (2003)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 10,383 (2003)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.43 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.51 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.56 % change on previous year (2019)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1811 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, youth female in Afghanistan?
- Literacy rate, youth female in Afghanistan was 44.2% in 2022, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest literacy rate, youth female recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 44.2% in 2022.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, youth female recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.1% in 1979.
- How does Afghanistan rank for literacy rate, youth female?
- Afghanistan ranks 101st out of 105 countries with data for 2022.
- Is literacy rate, youth female rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 37.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Literacy rate, youth female (% of females ages 15-24). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Youth literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15-24 who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.