Youth/adult literacy rate in Northern Africa and Western Asia
Northern Africa and Western Asia: Youth/adult literacy rate was 92.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Youth/adult literacy rate in Northern Africa and Western Asia, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
In 2024, youth/adult literacy rate in Northern Africa and Western Asia stood at 92.7%. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and up 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth/adult literacy rate in Northern Africa and Western Asia peaked at 92.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 85.7%, in 2000.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Youth/adult literacy rate in Northern Africa and Western Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 85.7% | — |
| 2001 | 86.3% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 86.9% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 87.7% | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 88.2% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 88.6% | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 87.5% | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 88.2% | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 88.8% | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 89.0% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 89.4% | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 89.9% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 90.8% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 91.6% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 91.8% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 92.0% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 90.9% | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 91.4% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 91.6% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 91.8% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 92.0% | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 92.2% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 92.4% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 92.5% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 92.7% | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 87.7% | 85.7% | 89.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 91.1% | 89.4% | 92.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 92.4% | 92.0% | 92.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Northern Africa and Western Asia
More education data for Northern Africa and Western Asia
- Proportion of total government spending on essential services 12.5% (2022)
- Proportion of youth not in education, employment or training, by sex 29.3% (2025)
- Adjusted gender parity index for participation rate in formal and 0.9772 (2024)
- Participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training 50.2% (2024)
- Proportion of schools with access to electricity, by education level 93.4% (2024)
- Adjusted gender parity index for completion rate, by location, wealth 1.06 (2024)
- Proportion of schools with access to computers for pedagogical 93.5% (2024)
- Proportion of schools with access to basic drinking water, by 95.2% (2024)
- Proportion of schools with access to the internet for pedagogical 77.8% (2024)
- Proportion of schools with basic handwashing facilities, by education 95.2% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth/adult literacy rate in Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- Youth/adult literacy rate in Northern Africa and Western Asia was 92.7% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest youth/adult literacy rate recorded in Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 92.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest youth/adult literacy rate recorded in Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 85.7% in 2000.
- How does Northern Africa and Western Asia rank for youth/adult literacy rate?
- Northern Africa and Western Asia ranks 12th out of 18 groups with data for 2024.
- Is youth/adult literacy rate rising or falling in Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Northern Africa and Western Asia data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Youth/adult literacy rate (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).