Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411)
ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411): Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes was 6.17 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
6.17 million
Change on year
down 3.6%
Rank
100th
of 204 groups
All-time high
17.41 million
in 2006
All-time low
6.17 million
in 2024
Years of data
50
1975–2024
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411), 1975–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411) recorded 6.17 million for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 50 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.6% on the previous year and down 34.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411) peaked at 17.41 million in 2006 and was at its lowest, 6.17 million, in 2024.
ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411) ranks 100th of 204 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 50 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 14.20 million | — |
| 1976 | 14.60 million | +2.8% |
| 1977 | 14.87 million | +1.9% |
| 1978 | 15.15 million | +1.8% |
| 1979 | 15.38 million | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 15.62 million | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 15.79 million | +1.1% |
| 1982 | 15.85 million | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 16.10 million | +1.6% |
| 1984 | 16.41 million | +1.9% |
| 1985 | 16.74 million | +2.0% |
| 1986 | 17.01 million | +1.6% |
| 1987 | 17.28 million | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 16.43 million | -4.9% |
| 1989 | 16.43 million | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 16.56 million | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 16.69 million | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 16.81 million | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 17.11 million | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 17.08 million | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 16.98 million | -0.5% |
| 1996 | 17.17 million | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 17.41 million | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 16.08 million | -7.6% |
| 1999 | 15.74 million | -2.1% |
| 2000 | 15.56 million | -1.2% |
| 2001 | 15.41 million | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 15.09 million | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 14.76 million | -2.2% |
| 2004 | 14.42 million | -2.3% |
| 2005 | 14.05 million | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 17.41 million | +23.9% |
| 2007 | 17.11 million | -1.7% |
| 2008 | 16.70 million | -2.4% |
| 2009 | 16.39 million | -1.8% |
| 2010 | 12.06 million | -26.4% |
| 2011 | 11.88 million | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 12.90 million | +8.6% |
| 2013 | 9.65 million | -25.1% |
| 2014 | 9.39 million | -2.7% |
| 2015 | 8.23 million | -12.4% |
| 2016 | 6.70 million | -18.5% |
| 2017 | 6.33 million | -5.6% |
| 2018 | 7.24 million | +14.4% |
| 2019 | 6.64 million | -8.3% |
| 2020 | 6.62 million | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 6.40 million | -3.3% |
| 2022 | 6.69 million | +4.4% |
| 2023 | 6.39 million | -4.3% |
| 2024 | 6.17 million | -3.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 14.84 million | 14.20 million | 15.38 million | 5 |
| 1980s | 16.37 million | 15.62 million | 17.28 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.76 million | 15.74 million | 17.41 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.69 million | 14.05 million | 17.41 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.10 million | 6.33 million | 12.90 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.45 million | 6.17 million | 6.69 million | 5 |
More education data for ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 96.1% (2024)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 94.6% (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female 14.10 million (2024)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in vocational 3.9% (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male 14.13 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes 5.95 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes 1.24 million (2020)
- Enrolment in primary education, male 19.17 million (2021)
- School age population, upper secondary education, male 11.36 million (2024)
- School age population, upper secondary education, female 10.84 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411)?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411) was 6.17 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411)?
- The highest recorded value was 17.41 million in 2006.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411)?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.17 million in 2024.
- How does ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411) rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes?
- ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411) ranks 100th out of 204 groups with data for 2024.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes rising or falling in ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 34.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411) 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