Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries
SDG: Least Developed Countries: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes was 45.84 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
45.84 million
Change on year
up 0.6%
Rank
33rd
of 204 groups
All-time high
55.77 million
in 2008
All-time low
37.90 million
in 1981
Years of data
44
1981–2024
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries, 1981–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries stood at 45.84 million.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries peaked at 55.77 million in 2008 and was at its lowest, 37.90 million, in 1981.
SDG: Least Developed Countries ranks 33rd of 204 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 44 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 37.90 million | — |
| 1982 | 38.46 million | +1.5% |
| 1983 | 39.31 million | +2.2% |
| 1984 | 40.07 million | +1.9% |
| 1985 | 40.80 million | +1.8% |
| 1986 | 41.58 million | +1.9% |
| 1987 | 42.28 million | +1.7% |
| 1988 | 42.16 million | -0.3% |
| 1989 | 42.67 million | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 43.29 million | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 44.32 million | +2.4% |
| 1992 | 45.44 million | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 46.40 million | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 46.99 million | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 47.64 million | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 48.47 million | +1.7% |
| 1997 | 49.08 million | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 48.77 million | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 48.70 million | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 49.29 million | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 49.59 million | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 48.60 million | -2.0% |
| 2003 | 48.86 million | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 48.98 million | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 49.55 million | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 55.68 million | +12.4% |
| 2007 | 55.15 million | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 55.77 million | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 55.52 million | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 50.94 million | -8.2% |
| 2011 | 48.63 million | -4.5% |
| 2012 | 48.58 million | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 45.00 million | -7.4% |
| 2014 | 45.39 million | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 44.42 million | -2.1% |
| 2016 | 43.21 million | -2.7% |
| 2017 | 42.61 million | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 43.54 million | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 43.88 million | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 44.62 million | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 44.75 million | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 45.45 million | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 45.58 million | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 45.84 million | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 40.58 million | 37.90 million | 42.67 million | 9 |
| 1990s | 46.91 million | 43.29 million | 49.08 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 51.70 million | 48.60 million | 55.77 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 45.62 million | 42.61 million | 50.94 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 45.25 million | 44.62 million | 45.84 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Least Developed Countries
More education data for SDG: Least Developed Countries
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.43 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 11.66 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.7518 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 11.32 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 36.37 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 171.01 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.684 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.04 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 75.92 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.9918 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries was 45.84 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- The highest recorded value was 55.77 million in 2008.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.90 million in 1981.
- How does SDG: Least Developed Countries rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes?
- SDG: Least Developed Countries ranks 33rd out of 204 groups with data for 2024.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: Least Developed Countries 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