Literacy rate, youth total in Burundi
Burundi: Literacy rate, youth total was 88.4% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, youth total in Burundi, 1979–2020
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of people ages 15-24.
Analysis
The most recent figure for literacy rate, youth total in Burundi is 88.4%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and up 18.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, youth total in Burundi peaked at 88.4% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 31.0%, in 1979.
That places Burundi 73rd out of 95 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Literacy rate, youth total in Burundi, year by year
| Year | % of people ages 15-24 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 31.0% | — |
| 1990 | 53.6% | +72.9% |
| 2000 | 73.3% | +36.9% |
| 2008 | 61.7% | -15.8% |
| 2010 | 74.5% | +20.6% |
| 2014 | 79.6% | +6.8% |
| 2016 | 84.4% | +6.0% |
| 2017 | 88.2% | +4.6% |
| 2020 | 88.4% | +0.2% |
Burundi compared with similar countries
- Burundi's 88.4% is above the median for low income countries, which is 72.2%, 1.2× the median. (14 countries reporting)
- Burundi's 88.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 81.9%, 1.1× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 31.0% | 31.0% | 31.0% | 1 |
| 1990s | 53.6% | 53.6% | 53.6% | 1 |
| 2000s | 67.5% | 61.7% | 73.3% | 2 |
| 2010s | 81.7% | 74.5% | 88.2% | 4 |
| 2020s | 88.4% | 88.4% | 88.4% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Burundi
More education data for Burundi
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 27,748 (2025)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 646,726 (2020)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 115,798 (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 117,464 (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 590,027 (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.52 million (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 4.06 % change on previous year (2020)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0007 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1748 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, youth total in Burundi?
- Literacy rate, youth total in Burundi was 88.4% in 2020, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest literacy rate, youth total recorded in Burundi?
- The highest recorded value was 88.4% in 2020.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, youth total recorded in Burundi?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.0% in 1979.
- How does Burundi rank for literacy rate, youth total?
- Burundi ranks 73rd out of 95 countries with data for 2020.
- Is literacy rate, youth total rising or falling in Burundi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Burundi data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Literacy rate, youth total (% of people 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.