Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400)
ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400): Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes was 26.10 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400), 1991–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400) recorded 26.10 million for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is down 5.4% on the previous year and down 48.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400) peaked at 123.89 million in 1991 and was at its lowest, 26.10 million, in 2024.
That places ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400) 51st out of 204 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 123.89 million | — |
| 1992 | 120.07 million | -3.1% |
| 1993 | 116.43 million | -3.0% |
| 1994 | 112.89 million | -3.0% |
| 1995 | 109.30 million | -3.2% |
| 1996 | 106.19 million | -2.9% |
| 1997 | 97.28 million | -8.4% |
| 1998 | 88.70 million | -8.8% |
| 1999 | 85.92 million | -3.1% |
| 2000 | 83.51 million | -2.8% |
| 2001 | 82.81 million | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 81.07 million | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 78.64 million | -3.0% |
| 2004 | 76.81 million | -2.3% |
| 2005 | 74.76 million | -2.7% |
| 2006 | 76.86 million | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 73.53 million | -4.3% |
| 2008 | 68.82 million | -6.4% |
| 2009 | 66.13 million | -3.9% |
| 2010 | 62.32 million | -5.8% |
| 2011 | 61.08 million | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 59.13 million | -3.2% |
| 2013 | 54.18 million | -8.4% |
| 2014 | 50.98 million | -5.9% |
| 2015 | 47.46 million | -6.9% |
| 2016 | 43.78 million | -7.7% |
| 2017 | 42.15 million | -3.7% |
| 2018 | 43.07 million | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 33.99 million | -21.1% |
| 2020 | 32.20 million | -5.3% |
| 2021 | 30.47 million | -5.4% |
| 2022 | 29.27 million | -3.9% |
| 2023 | 27.61 million | -5.7% |
| 2024 | 26.10 million | -5.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 106.74 million | 85.92 million | 123.89 million | 9 |
| 2000s | 76.29 million | 66.13 million | 83.51 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.81 million | 33.99 million | 62.32 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.13 million | 26.10 million | 32.20 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400)
More education data for ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 90.6% (2024)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 89.3% (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female 187.37 million (2024)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in vocational 9.4% (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male 203.58 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes 127.86 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes 18.70 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male 216.89 million (2024)
- School age population, upper secondary education, male 126.65 million (2024)
- School age population, upper secondary education, female 116.03 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400)?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400) was 26.10 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400)?
- The highest recorded value was 123.89 million in 1991.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400)?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.10 million in 2024.
- How does ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400) rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes?
- ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400) ranks 51st out of 204 groups with data for 2024.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes rising or falling in ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 48.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400) 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