Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102)
ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102): Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes was 18.22 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
18.22 million
Change on year
up 1.5%
Rank
78th
of 204 groups
All-time high
20.67 million
in 2006
All-time low
12.66 million
in 1988
Years of data
37
1988–2024
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102), 1988–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102) stood at 18.22 million.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 7.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102) peaked at 20.67 million in 2006 and was at its lowest, 12.66 million, in 1988.
That places ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102) 78th out of 204 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 37 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 12.66 million | — |
| 1989 | 12.82 million | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 13.00 million | +1.3% |
| 1991 | 13.27 million | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 13.55 million | +2.2% |
| 1993 | 13.83 million | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 14.13 million | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 14.60 million | +3.3% |
| 1996 | 14.92 million | +2.2% |
| 1997 | 15.07 million | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 16.12 million | +7.0% |
| 1999 | 16.52 million | +2.5% |
| 2000 | 17.07 million | +3.3% |
| 2001 | 17.64 million | +3.4% |
| 2002 | 17.18 million | -2.6% |
| 2003 | 17.61 million | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 18.41 million | +4.5% |
| 2005 | 19.75 million | +7.3% |
| 2006 | 20.67 million | +4.7% |
| 2007 | 19.85 million | -3.9% |
| 2008 | 20.04 million | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 20.18 million | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 20.34 million | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 18.37 million | -9.7% |
| 2012 | 17.04 million | -7.3% |
| 2013 | 16.83 million | -1.3% |
| 2014 | 16.97 million | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 17.00 million | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 16.93 million | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 16.65 million | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 16.80 million | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 17.05 million | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 17.30 million | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 17.47 million | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 17.71 million | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 17.96 million | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 18.22 million | +1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 12.74 million | 12.66 million | 12.82 million | 2 |
| 1990s | 14.50 million | 13.00 million | 16.52 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.84 million | 17.07 million | 20.67 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.40 million | 16.65 million | 20.34 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.73 million | 17.30 million | 18.22 million | 5 |
More education data for ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.98 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.74 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 12.59 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 3.43 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 14.95 million (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 3.58 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 12.51 million (2022)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.9236 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.29 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 41.20 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102)?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102) was 18.22 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102)?
- The highest recorded value was 20.67 million in 2006.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102)?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.66 million in 1988.
- How does ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102) rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes?
- ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102) ranks 78th out of 204 groups with data for 2024.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes rising or falling in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102) data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release