Literacy rate, youth total in Zambia
Zambia: Literacy rate, youth total was 77.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, youth total in Zambia, 1990–2024
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 Zambia is 77.7%, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 8.1% on the previous year and down 12.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, youth total in Zambia peaked at 88.7% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 66.4%, in 1990.
That places Zambia 82nd out of 95 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 10 years of available data.
Literacy rate, youth total in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % of people ages 15-24 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 66.4% | — |
| 1999 | 69.5% | +4.6% |
| 2002 | 69.1% | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 88.7% | +28.4% |
| 2018 | 77.7% | -12.4% |
| 2019 | 84.0% | +8.2% |
| 2020 | 85.9% | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 84.1% | -2.0% |
| 2022 | 84.5% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 77.7% | -8.1% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 77.7% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 93.5%, 83% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 77.7% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 81.9%, 95% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 67.9% | 66.4% | 69.5% | 2 |
| 2000s | 69.1% | 69.1% | 69.1% | 1 |
| 2010s | 83.5% | 77.7% | 88.7% | 3 |
| 2020s | 83.0% | 77.7% | 85.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 79 Nigeria 81.4% compare
- 80 Malawi 80.7% compare
- 81 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 77.9% compare
- 83 Pakistan 73.1% compare
- 84 Sierra Leone 73.0% compare
- 85 Mozambique 71.4% compare
More education data for Zambia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 42,585 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 169,961 (2013)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.39 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.49 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.55 % change on previous year (2017)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2106 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.49 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, youth total in Zambia?
- Literacy rate, youth total in Zambia was 77.7% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest literacy rate, youth total recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 88.7% in 2010.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, youth total recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 66.4% in 1990.
- How does Zambia rank for literacy rate, youth total?
- Zambia ranks 82nd out of 95 countries with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rate, youth total rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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.