Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia
SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes was 7.05 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
7.05 million
Change on year
down 0.7%
Rank
98th
of 204 groups
All-time high
13.03 million
in 1987
All-time low
6.96 million
in 2015
Years of data
38
1987–2024
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia, 1987–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia recorded 7.05 million for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in 2024.
The figure is down 0.7% on the previous year and down 2.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia peaked at 13.03 million in 1987 and was at its lowest, 6.96 million, in 2015.
SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia ranks 98th of 204 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 38 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 13.03 million | — |
| 1988 | 12.82 million | -1.6% |
| 1989 | 12.63 million | -1.5% |
| 1990 | 12.38 million | -2.0% |
| 1991 | 11.97 million | -3.3% |
| 1992 | 11.74 million | -2.0% |
| 1993 | 12.13 million | +3.3% |
| 1994 | 11.97 million | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 11.78 million | -1.6% |
| 1996 | 11.55 million | -2.0% |
| 1997 | 11.32 million | -1.9% |
| 1998 | 11.15 million | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 10.98 million | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 10.73 million | -2.2% |
| 2001 | 10.48 million | -2.4% |
| 2002 | 10.25 million | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 9.80 million | -4.4% |
| 2004 | 9.58 million | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 9.41 million | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 10.50 million | +11.7% |
| 2007 | 10.03 million | -4.6% |
| 2008 | 9.64 million | -3.9% |
| 2009 | 9.57 million | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 9.26 million | -3.3% |
| 2011 | 8.88 million | -4.0% |
| 2012 | 8.08 million | -9.0% |
| 2013 | 7.33 million | -9.3% |
| 2014 | 7.21 million | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 6.96 million | -3.4% |
| 2016 | 7.94 million | +14.1% |
| 2017 | 7.54 million | -5.1% |
| 2018 | 7.40 million | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 7.31 million | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 7.22 million | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 7.13 million | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 7.10 million | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 7.10 million | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 7.05 million | -0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 12.83 million | 12.63 million | 13.03 million | 3 |
| 1990s | 11.70 million | 10.98 million | 12.38 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.00 million | 9.41 million | 10.73 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.79 million | 6.96 million | 9.26 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.12 million | 7.05 million | 7.22 million | 5 |
More education data for SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 32.09 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 0.2663 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 4.45 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 9.09 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 61.67 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.5703 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 29.58 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.7875 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.19 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 26.40 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia was 7.05 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 13.03 million in 1987.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.96 million in 2015.
- How does SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes?
- SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia ranks 98th out of 204 groups with data for 2024.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia 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