Literacy rate, youth total in South Asia
South Asia: Literacy rate, youth total was 96.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, youth total in South Asia, 1975–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of people ages 15-24.
Analysis
In 2024, literacy rate, youth total in South Asia stood at 96.9%. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 9.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, youth total in South Asia peaked at 96.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 49.6%, in 1976.
South Asia ranks 16th of 40 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Literacy rate, youth total in South Asia, year by year
| Year | % of people ages 15-24 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 49.6% | — |
| 1976 | 49.6% | -0.0% |
| 1977 | 50.3% | +1.5% |
| 1978 | 51.0% | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 51.7% | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 52.2% | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 52.7% | +0.9% |
| 1982 | 53.4% | +1.2% |
| 1983 | 54.0% | +1.1% |
| 1984 | 54.5% | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 55.1% | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 55.8% | +1.2% |
| 1987 | 56.4% | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 56.9% | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 58.2% | +2.4% |
| 1990 | 59.5% | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 60.7% | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 61.9% | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 63.1% | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 64.3% | +1.9% |
| 1995 | 65.5% | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 66.6% | +1.7% |
| 1997 | 67.6% | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 71.5% | +5.8% |
| 1999 | 72.8% | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 74.0% | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 75.1% | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 76.2% | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 77.3% | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 78.4% | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 79.4% | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 79.3% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 80.4% | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 81.5% | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 82.5% | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 84.4% | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 85.3% | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 85.8% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 87.8% | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 88.5% | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 89.6% | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 90.7% | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 91.4% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 92.0% | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 95.1% | +3.4% |
| 2020 | 95.5% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 95.9% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 96.1% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 96.5% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 96.9% | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 50.4% | 49.6% | 51.7% | 5 |
| 1980s | 54.9% | 52.2% | 58.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 65.4% | 59.5% | 72.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 78.4% | 74.0% | 82.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 89.1% | 84.4% | 95.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 96.2% | 95.5% | 96.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
More education data for South Asia
- Population ages 0-14 24.6% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 4.5 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0959 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 152.88 million (2024)
- Population ages 15-64 68.1% (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 160.82 million (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 5.84 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, youth total in South Asia?
- Literacy rate, youth total in South Asia was 96.9% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest literacy rate, youth total recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 96.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, youth total recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 49.6% in 1976.
- How does South Asia rank for literacy rate, youth total?
- South Asia ranks 16th out of 40 groups with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rate, youth total rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Asia 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.