Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024

GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes was 53.54 million in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
53.54 million
Change on year
up 1.9%
Rank
24th
of 204 groups
All-time high
53.54 million
in 2024
All-time low
31.14 million
in 1986
Years of data
39
1986–2024

Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024, 1986–2024

020.0M40.0M60.0M1986200520241986: 31.1M1987: 31.5M1988: 32.2M1989: 32.7M1990: 33.2M1991: 34.2M1992: 35.2M1993: 35.9M1994: 36.6M1995: 37.9M1996: 38.5M1997: 38.9M1998: 40.0M1999: 40.3M2000: 43.8M2001: 44.3M2002: 43.8M2003: 44.8M2004: 45.4M2005: 47.3M2006: 49.9M2007: 51.0M2008: 51.9M2009: 52.7M2010: 52.5M2011: 50.2M2012: 49.0M2013: 48.5M2014: 48.9M2015: 49.0M2016: 49.2M2017: 48.9M2018: 47.5M2019: 48.8M2020: 49.9M2021: 50.7M2022: 51.6M2023: 52.5M2024: 53.5M

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

The most recent figure for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 is 53.54 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 39 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 9.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 peaked at 53.54 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 31.14 million, in 1986.

That places GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 24th out of 204 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 39 years of available data.

Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024, year by year

Annual values for Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes (number) in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024, 1986 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1986 31.14 million
1987 31.52 million +1.2%
1988 32.19 million +2.1%
1989 32.68 million +1.5%
1990 33.20 million +1.6%
1991 34.16 million +2.9%
1992 35.19 million +3.0%
1993 35.89 million +2.0%
1994 36.56 million +1.8%
1995 37.86 million +3.6%
1996 38.52 million +1.8%
1997 38.95 million +1.1%
1998 40.01 million +2.7%
1999 40.32 million +0.8%
2000 43.81 million +8.7%
2001 44.33 million +1.2%
2002 43.82 million -1.1%
2003 44.77 million +2.1%
2004 45.37 million +1.4%
2005 47.33 million +4.3%
2006 49.93 million +5.5%
2007 50.98 million +2.1%
2008 51.87 million +1.7%
2009 52.68 million +1.6%
2010 52.47 million -0.4%
2011 50.24 million -4.2%
2012 48.97 million -2.5%
2013 48.50 million -1.0%
2014 48.89 million +0.8%
2015 48.98 million +0.2%
2016 49.21 million +0.5%
2017 48.93 million -0.6%
2018 47.50 million -2.9%
2019 48.82 million +2.8%
2020 49.94 million +2.3%
2021 50.75 million +1.6%
2022 51.63 million +1.7%
2023 52.55 million +1.8%
2024 53.54 million +1.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 31.88 million 31.14 million 32.68 million 4
1990s 37.07 million 33.20 million 40.32 million 10
2000s 47.49 million 43.81 million 52.68 million 10
2010s 49.25 million 47.50 million 52.47 million 10
2020s 51.68 million 49.94 million 53.54 million 5

Countries ranked near GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024

  1. 21 Thailand 176,559 compare
  2. 22 Philippines 167,627 compare
  3. 23 Cambodia 149,217 compare
  4. 24 Viet Nam 125,196 compare
  5. 25 Lao People's Democratic Republic 105,682 compare
  6. 26 Indonesia 97,827 compare
  7. 27 Colombia 84,103 compare

See the full ranking of 262 places →

More education data for GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024

All data for GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 →

Frequently asked questions

What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024?
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 was 53.54 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024?
The highest recorded value was 53.54 million in 2024.
What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024?
The lowest recorded value was 31.14 million in 1986.
How does GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes?
GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 ranks 24th out of 204 groups with data for 2024.
Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes rising or falling in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024?
Over the last ten years it is up 9.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024 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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Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in GPE: Sub-saharan Africa Wb Fy24, December 2024. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/youth-illiterate-population-15-24-years-both-sexes-number-2/gpe-sub-saharan-africa-wb-fy24-december-2024/

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About this data

Indicator
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
262 places, 8,082 data points, 1970–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release