Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd)
WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd): Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes was 18.51 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
18.51 million
Change on year
down 2.5%
Rank
77th
of 204 groups
All-time high
25.29 million
in 1989
All-time low
18.51 million
in 2024
Years of data
52
1973–2024
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd), 1973–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd) is 18.51 million, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 52 years on record.
The figure is down 2.5% on the previous year and down 6.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd) peaked at 25.29 million in 1989 and was at its lowest, 18.51 million, in 2024.
WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd) ranks 77th of 204 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 52 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 20.74 million | — |
| 1974 | 21.33 million | +2.9% |
| 1975 | 21.90 million | +2.7% |
| 1976 | 22.47 million | +2.6% |
| 1977 | 22.89 million | +1.9% |
| 1978 | 23.33 million | +1.9% |
| 1979 | 23.73 million | +1.7% |
| 1980 | 24.16 million | +1.8% |
| 1981 | 24.65 million | +2.1% |
| 1982 | 24.94 million | +1.2% |
| 1983 | 25.14 million | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 25.21 million | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 25.21 million | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 25.20 million | -0.0% |
| 1987 | 25.23 million | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 25.26 million | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 25.29 million | +0.1% |
| 1990 | 24.76 million | -2.1% |
| 1991 | 24.57 million | -0.8% |
| 1992 | 23.81 million | -3.1% |
| 1993 | 23.69 million | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 23.73 million | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 23.52 million | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 23.50 million | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 23.58 million | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 23.88 million | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 23.99 million | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 24.10 million | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 24.03 million | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 24.03 million | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 23.14 million | -3.7% |
| 2004 | 23.13 million | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 23.15 million | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 23.42 million | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 23.54 million | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 22.20 million | -5.7% |
| 2009 | 21.94 million | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 21.73 million | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 22.23 million | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 20.71 million | -6.8% |
| 2013 | 20.51 million | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 19.88 million | -3.1% |
| 2015 | 19.14 million | -3.7% |
| 2016 | 19.62 million | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 19.35 million | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 21.38 million | +10.5% |
| 2019 | 21.12 million | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 20.55 million | -2.7% |
| 2021 | 20.06 million | -2.4% |
| 2022 | 19.53 million | -2.6% |
| 2023 | 18.98 million | -2.8% |
| 2024 | 18.51 million | -2.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 22.34 million | 20.74 million | 23.73 million | 7 |
| 1980s | 25.03 million | 24.16 million | 25.29 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 23.90 million | 23.50 million | 24.76 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 23.27 million | 21.94 million | 24.10 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.57 million | 19.14 million | 22.23 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.53 million | 18.51 million | 20.55 million | 5 |
More education data for WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 5.55 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 14.92 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 4.73 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 32.41 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 6.5 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 28.76 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 2.17 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.81 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 40.56 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.95 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd)?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd) was 18.51 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd)?
- The highest recorded value was 25.29 million in 1989.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd)?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.51 million in 2024.
- How does WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd) rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes?
- WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd) ranks 77th out of 204 groups with data for 2024.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes rising or falling in WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this WB: Middle East & North Africa (ida & Ibrd) 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