Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in MDG: Northern Africa
MDG: Northern Africa: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes was 1.76 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in MDG: Northern Africa, 1972–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in MDG: Northern Africa is 1.76 million, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 53 years on record.
That represents a change of down 4.8% on the previous year and down 22.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in MDG: Northern Africa peaked at 8.03 million in 1983 and was at its lowest, 1.76 million, in 2024.
That places MDG: Northern Africa 129th out of 204 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 53 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in MDG: Northern Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 6.73 million | — |
| 1973 | 6.89 million | +2.4% |
| 1974 | 7.05 million | +2.4% |
| 1975 | 7.20 million | +2.1% |
| 1976 | 7.34 million | +1.9% |
| 1977 | 7.47 million | +1.7% |
| 1978 | 7.59 million | +1.7% |
| 1979 | 7.71 million | +1.6% |
| 1980 | 7.80 million | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 7.88 million | +1.0% |
| 1982 | 7.94 million | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 8.03 million | +1.2% |
| 1984 | 7.94 million | -1.1% |
| 1985 | 7.82 million | -1.4% |
| 1986 | 7.68 million | -1.8% |
| 1987 | 7.54 million | -1.9% |
| 1988 | 7.40 million | -1.9% |
| 1989 | 7.26 million | -1.9% |
| 1990 | 7.11 million | -2.1% |
| 1991 | 6.83 million | -3.9% |
| 1992 | 6.66 million | -2.6% |
| 1993 | 7.12 million | +6.9% |
| 1994 | 6.99 million | -1.8% |
| 1995 | 6.84 million | -2.1% |
| 1996 | 6.69 million | -2.3% |
| 1997 | 6.55 million | -2.1% |
| 1998 | 6.56 million | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 6.44 million | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 6.33 million | -1.7% |
| 2001 | 6.13 million | -3.2% |
| 2002 | 5.96 million | -2.8% |
| 2003 | 5.42 million | -9.1% |
| 2004 | 5.24 million | -3.3% |
| 2005 | 5.09 million | -2.9% |
| 2006 | 4.95 million | -2.7% |
| 2007 | 4.60 million | -7.1% |
| 2008 | 4.19 million | -8.9% |
| 2009 | 4.20 million | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 3.86 million | -8.1% |
| 2011 | 3.59 million | -6.9% |
| 2012 | 2.82 million | -21.4% |
| 2013 | 2.23 million | -21.0% |
| 2014 | 2.28 million | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 2.08 million | -8.6% |
| 2016 | 3.08 million | +48.2% |
| 2017 | 2.84 million | -8.1% |
| 2018 | 2.62 million | -7.5% |
| 2019 | 2.43 million | -7.2% |
| 2020 | 2.26 million | -7.4% |
| 2021 | 2.10 million | -6.9% |
| 2022 | 1.96 million | -6.5% |
| 2023 | 1.85 million | -5.8% |
| 2024 | 1.76 million | -4.8% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in MDG: Northern Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | +48.2% | 2.08 million | 3.08 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 7.25 million | 6.73 million | 7.71 million | 8 |
| 1980s | 7.73 million | 7.26 million | 8.03 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.78 million | 6.44 million | 7.12 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.21 million | 4.19 million | 6.33 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.78 million | 2.08 million | 3.86 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.98 million | 1.76 million | 2.26 million | 5 |
More education data for MDG: Northern Africa
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.09 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 11.37 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 697,877 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 5.59 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.09 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 4.53 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 23.16 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.66 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 13.43 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.42 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in MDG: Northern Africa?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in MDG: Northern Africa was 1.76 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in MDG: Northern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 8.03 million in 1983.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in MDG: Northern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.76 million in 2024.
- How does MDG: Northern Africa rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes?
- MDG: Northern Africa ranks 129th out of 204 groups with data for 2024.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes rising or falling in MDG: Northern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this MDG: Northern Africa 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