Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: Pre-demographic Dividend
WB: Pre-demographic Dividend: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes was 49.00 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
49.00 million
Change on year
up 1.5%
Rank
27th
of 204 groups
All-time high
49.00 million
in 2024
All-time low
26.00 million
in 1986
Years of data
39
1986–2024
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: Pre-demographic Dividend, 1986–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: Pre-demographic Dividend stood at 49.00 million. That is the highest value across all 39 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.5% on the previous year and up 9.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: Pre-demographic Dividend peaked at 49.00 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 26.00 million, in 1986.
WB: Pre-demographic Dividend ranks 27th of 204 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 39 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: Pre-demographic Dividend, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 26.00 million | — |
| 1987 | 26.22 million | +0.8% |
| 1988 | 26.70 million | +1.8% |
| 1989 | 27.04 million | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 27.52 million | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 28.32 million | +2.9% |
| 1992 | 29.15 million | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 29.88 million | +2.5% |
| 1994 | 30.54 million | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 31.76 million | +4.0% |
| 1996 | 32.30 million | +1.7% |
| 1997 | 32.60 million | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 33.56 million | +2.9% |
| 1999 | 33.77 million | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 37.15 million | +10.0% |
| 2001 | 37.45 million | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 37.87 million | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 38.89 million | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 39.52 million | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 41.38 million | +4.7% |
| 2006 | 44.02 million | +6.4% |
| 2007 | 46.29 million | +5.2% |
| 2008 | 47.17 million | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 48.17 million | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 48.12 million | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 46.03 million | -4.3% |
| 2012 | 45.02 million | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 44.45 million | -1.3% |
| 2014 | 44.85 million | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 44.96 million | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 45.26 million | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 44.93 million | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 44.38 million | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 45.50 million | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 46.42 million | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 47.06 million | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 47.64 million | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 48.25 million | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 49.00 million | +1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 26.49 million | 26.00 million | 27.04 million | 4 |
| 1990s | 30.94 million | 27.52 million | 33.77 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 41.79 million | 37.15 million | 48.17 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 45.35 million | 44.38 million | 48.12 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.67 million | 46.42 million | 49.00 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near WB: Pre-demographic Dividend
More education data for WB: Pre-demographic Dividend
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.24 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 32.69 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.61 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 37.39 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 4.13 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 5.04 million (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 5.35 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 3.46 million (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 8.50 million (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 4.62 % change on previous year (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: Pre-demographic Dividend?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: Pre-demographic Dividend was 49.00 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in WB: Pre-demographic Dividend?
- The highest recorded value was 49.00 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in WB: Pre-demographic Dividend?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.00 million in 1986.
- How does WB: Pre-demographic Dividend rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes?
- WB: Pre-demographic Dividend ranks 27th out of 204 groups with data for 2024.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes rising or falling in WB: Pre-demographic Dividend?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this WB: Pre-demographic Dividend 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