Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in GPE: Region 3
GPE: Region 3: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes was 20.53 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
20.53 million
Change on year
down 2.6%
Rank
74th
of 204 groups
All-time high
37.48 million
in 1986
All-time low
20.53 million
in 2024
Years of data
51
1974–2024
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in GPE: Region 3, 1974–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
GPE: Region 3 recorded 20.53 million for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 51 years on record.
The figure is down 2.6% on the previous year and down 18.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in GPE: Region 3 peaked at 37.48 million in 1986 and was at its lowest, 20.53 million, in 2024.
GPE: Region 3 ranks 74th of 204 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in GPE: Region 3, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 29.51 million | — |
| 1975 | 30.59 million | +3.7% |
| 1976 | 31.47 million | +2.9% |
| 1977 | 32.12 million | +2.1% |
| 1978 | 32.73 million | +1.9% |
| 1979 | 33.33 million | +1.8% |
| 1980 | 34.05 million | +2.1% |
| 1981 | 34.83 million | +2.3% |
| 1982 | 35.28 million | +1.3% |
| 1983 | 35.84 million | +1.6% |
| 1984 | 36.37 million | +1.5% |
| 1985 | 36.84 million | +1.3% |
| 1986 | 37.48 million | +1.8% |
| 1987 | 35.65 million | -4.9% |
| 1988 | 34.92 million | -2.0% |
| 1989 | 35.05 million | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 35.23 million | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 35.42 million | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 34.84 million | -1.6% |
| 1993 | 34.40 million | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 34.36 million | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 34.22 million | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 34.27 million | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 34.56 million | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 33.36 million | -3.5% |
| 1999 | 33.25 million | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 33.33 million | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 33.28 million | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 32.95 million | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 32.11 million | -2.5% |
| 2004 | 31.72 million | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 31.32 million | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 35.78 million | +14.2% |
| 2007 | 35.42 million | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 33.27 million | -6.1% |
| 2009 | 32.42 million | -2.6% |
| 2010 | 28.49 million | -12.1% |
| 2011 | 28.58 million | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 29.00 million | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 26.22 million | -9.6% |
| 2014 | 25.05 million | -4.5% |
| 2015 | 23.27 million | -7.1% |
| 2016 | 21.35 million | -8.3% |
| 2017 | 21.24 million | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 23.50 million | +10.6% |
| 2019 | 22.82 million | -2.9% |
| 2020 | 22.26 million | -2.5% |
| 2021 | 21.71 million | -2.4% |
| 2022 | 21.69 million | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 21.07 million | -2.8% |
| 2024 | 20.53 million | -2.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 31.63 million | 29.51 million | 33.33 million | 6 |
| 1980s | 35.63 million | 34.05 million | 37.48 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 34.39 million | 33.25 million | 35.42 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 33.16 million | 31.32 million | 35.78 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.95 million | 21.24 million | 29.00 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.45 million | 20.53 million | 22.26 million | 5 |
More education data for GPE: Region 3
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 4.45 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 55.77 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.02 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 59.03 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 2.6 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 35.09 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 5.95 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 33.90 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 16.34 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 4.25 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in GPE: Region 3?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in GPE: Region 3 was 20.53 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in GPE: Region 3?
- The highest recorded value was 37.48 million in 1986.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in GPE: Region 3?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.53 million in 2024.
- How does GPE: Region 3 rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes?
- GPE: Region 3 ranks 74th out of 204 groups with data for 2024.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes rising or falling in GPE: Region 3?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this GPE: Region 3 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 51 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release