Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: East Asia & Pacific (excluding High Income)
WB: East Asia & Pacific (excluding High Income): Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes was 2.16 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: East Asia & Pacific (excluding High Income), 1976–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: East Asia & Pacific (excluding High Income) stood at 2.16 million. That is the lowest value across all 49 years on record.
The figure is down 2.4% on the previous year and down 31.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: East Asia & Pacific (excluding High Income) peaked at 41.24 million in 1976 and was at its lowest, 2.16 million, in 2024.
WB: East Asia & Pacific (excluding High Income) ranks 123rd of 204 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: East Asia & Pacific (excluding High Income), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 41.24 million | — |
| 1977 | 40.61 million | -1.5% |
| 1978 | 38.25 million | -5.8% |
| 1979 | 36.61 million | -4.3% |
| 1980 | 34.40 million | -6.0% |
| 1981 | 32.46 million | -5.6% |
| 1982 | 31.04 million | -4.4% |
| 1983 | 29.26 million | -5.7% |
| 1984 | 28.30 million | -3.3% |
| 1985 | 27.88 million | -1.5% |
| 1986 | 27.70 million | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 25.03 million | -9.6% |
| 1988 | 20.93 million | -16.4% |
| 1989 | 20.22 million | -3.4% |
| 1990 | 19.62 million | -3.0% |
| 1991 | 18.83 million | -4.0% |
| 1992 | 18.05 million | -4.1% |
| 1993 | 17.40 million | -3.6% |
| 1994 | 16.19 million | -6.9% |
| 1995 | 15.07 million | -7.0% |
| 1996 | 14.13 million | -6.2% |
| 1997 | 7.07 million | -49.9% |
| 1998 | 6.85 million | -3.2% |
| 1999 | 6.64 million | -3.1% |
| 2000 | 6.61 million | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 6.48 million | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 6.34 million | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 6.08 million | -4.1% |
| 2004 | 5.90 million | -2.9% |
| 2005 | 5.73 million | -2.9% |
| 2006 | 6.53 million | +13.9% |
| 2007 | 5.22 million | -20.0% |
| 2008 | 3.91 million | -25.1% |
| 2009 | 4.05 million | +3.5% |
| 2010 | 4.63 million | +14.3% |
| 2011 | 4.36 million | -5.9% |
| 2012 | 4.18 million | -4.1% |
| 2013 | 3.86 million | -7.6% |
| 2014 | 3.16 million | -18.3% |
| 2015 | 2.89 million | -8.5% |
| 2016 | 2.72 million | -6.0% |
| 2017 | 2.66 million | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 2.86 million | +7.6% |
| 2019 | 2.74 million | -4.0% |
| 2020 | 2.47 million | -9.9% |
| 2021 | 2.39 million | -3.5% |
| 2022 | 2.28 million | -4.3% |
| 2023 | 2.22 million | -3.0% |
| 2024 | 2.16 million | -2.4% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: East Asia & Pacific (excluding High Income) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | -49.9% | 14.13 million | 7.07 million |
| 2008 | -25.1% | 5.22 million | 3.91 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 39.17 million | 36.61 million | 41.24 million | 4 |
| 1980s | 27.72 million | 20.22 million | 34.40 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.99 million | 6.64 million | 19.62 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.69 million | 3.91 million | 6.61 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.41 million | 2.66 million | 4.63 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.30 million | 2.16 million | 2.47 million | 5 |
More education data for WB: East Asia & Pacific (excluding High Income)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 83.88 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.2622 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 76.51 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.11 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 84.57 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.69 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 57.24 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -8.08 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 2.37 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.59 % change on previous year (2024)
All data for WB: East Asia & Pacific (excluding High Income) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: East Asia & Pacific (excluding High Income)?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: East Asia & Pacific (excluding High Income) was 2.16 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in WB: East Asia & Pacific (excluding High Income)?
- The highest recorded value was 41.24 million in 1976.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in WB: East Asia & Pacific (excluding High Income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.16 million in 2024.
- How does WB: East Asia & Pacific (excluding High Income) rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes?
- WB: East Asia & Pacific (excluding High Income) ranks 123rd out of 204 groups with data for 2024.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes rising or falling in WB: East Asia & Pacific (excluding High Income)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this WB: East Asia & Pacific (excluding High Income) 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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CSV · JSON — 49 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release