Literacy rate, youth male in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Literacy rate, youth male was 83.4% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, youth male in Afghanistan, 1979–2022
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of males ages 15-24.
Analysis
The most recent figure for literacy rate, youth male in Afghanistan is 83.4%, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.
The figure is up 17.1% on the previous year and up 34.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, youth male in Afghanistan peaked at 83.4% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 45.8%, in 1979.
That places Afghanistan 80th out of 95 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Literacy rate, youth male in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % of males ages 15-24 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 45.8% | — |
| 2011 | 61.9% | +35.1% |
| 2015 | 57.7% | -6.7% |
| 2020 | 68.8% | +19.2% |
| 2021 | 71.2% | +3.5% |
| 2022 | 83.4% | +17.1% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 83.4% is above the median for low income countries, which is 79.8%, 1.0× the median. (14 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 83.4% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 98.5%, 85% of the median. (15 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 45.8% | 45.8% | 45.8% | 1 |
| 2010s | 59.8% | 57.7% | 61.9% | 2 |
| 2020s | 74.5% | 68.8% | 83.4% | 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 male in Afghanistan?
- Literacy rate, youth male in Afghanistan was 83.4% in 2022, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest literacy rate, youth male recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 83.4% in 2022.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, youth male recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.8% in 1979.
- How does Afghanistan rank for literacy rate, youth male?
- Afghanistan ranks 80th out of 95 countries with data for 2022.
- Is literacy rate, youth male rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 34.8%. 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 male (% of males 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.