Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa
UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes was 4.41 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
4.41 million
Change on year
down 1.0%
Rank
107th
of 204 groups
All-time high
13.95 million
in 1982
All-time low
4.41 million
in 2024
Years of data
48
1977–2024
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa, 1977–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa is 4.41 million, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 48 years on record.
The figure is down 1.0% on the previous year and down 13.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa peaked at 13.95 million in 1982 and was at its lowest, 4.41 million, in 2024.
UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa ranks 107th of 204 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 48 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 13.52 million | — |
| 1978 | 13.63 million | +0.8% |
| 1979 | 13.72 million | +0.7% |
| 1980 | 13.77 million | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 13.82 million | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 13.95 million | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 13.90 million | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 13.75 million | -1.1% |
| 1985 | 13.57 million | -1.3% |
| 1986 | 13.37 million | -1.5% |
| 1987 | 13.18 million | -1.4% |
| 1988 | 12.91 million | -2.1% |
| 1989 | 12.63 million | -2.2% |
| 1990 | 11.79 million | -6.7% |
| 1991 | 11.32 million | -3.9% |
| 1992 | 11.03 million | -2.6% |
| 1993 | 11.35 million | +2.9% |
| 1994 | 11.08 million | -2.4% |
| 1995 | 10.67 million | -3.8% |
| 1996 | 10.44 million | -2.1% |
| 1997 | 10.24 million | -1.9% |
| 1998 | 10.08 million | -1.5% |
| 1999 | 9.93 million | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 9.78 million | -1.5% |
| 2001 | 9.53 million | -2.5% |
| 2002 | 9.31 million | -2.4% |
| 2003 | 8.71 million | -6.5% |
| 2004 | 8.47 million | -2.8% |
| 2005 | 8.35 million | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 8.41 million | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 7.93 million | -5.8% |
| 2008 | 7.22 million | -8.9% |
| 2009 | 7.26 million | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 6.95 million | -4.3% |
| 2011 | 6.97 million | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 5.99 million | -14.1% |
| 2013 | 5.28 million | -11.8% |
| 2014 | 5.12 million | -3.0% |
| 2015 | 4.82 million | -5.8% |
| 2016 | 5.77 million | +19.7% |
| 2017 | 5.33 million | -7.7% |
| 2018 | 5.12 million | -3.9% |
| 2019 | 4.94 million | -3.5% |
| 2020 | 4.78 million | -3.3% |
| 2021 | 4.62 million | -3.3% |
| 2022 | 4.52 million | -2.2% |
| 2023 | 4.46 million | -1.4% |
| 2024 | 4.41 million | -1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 13.62 million | 13.52 million | 13.72 million | 3 |
| 1980s | 13.48 million | 12.63 million | 13.95 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.79 million | 9.93 million | 11.79 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.50 million | 7.22 million | 9.78 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.63 million | 4.82 million | 6.97 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.56 million | 4.41 million | 4.78 million | 5 |
More education data for UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 6.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 21.65 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.17 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 23.21 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.71 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 6.49 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -0.5257 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 17.53 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 8.61 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 6.11 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa was 4.41 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 13.95 million in 1982.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.41 million in 2024.
- How does UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes?
- UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa ranks 107th out of 204 groups with data for 2024.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this UNICEF: Middle East and North 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