Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Bangladesh

Bangladesh: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes was 1.58 million number in 2019. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2019)
1.58 million number
Change on year
down 23.0%
World rank
11th
of 86 countries
All-time high
11.96 million number
in 1991
All-time low
1.58 million number
in 2019
Years of data
13
1981–2019

Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Bangladesh, 1981–2019

2.5M5.0M7.5M10.0M12.5M1981200020191981: 10.2M number1991: 12.0M number2001: 9.8M number2007: 11.4M number2011: 6.5M number2012: 6.6M number2013: 4.4M number2014: 4.4M number2015: 3.7M number2016: 2.4M number2017: 2.2M number2018: 2.1M number2019: 1.6M number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

In 2019, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Bangladesh stood at 1.58 million number. That is the lowest value across all 13 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 23.0% on the previous year and down 86.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Bangladesh peaked at 11.96 million number in 1991 and was at its lowest, 1.58 million number, in 2019.

That places Bangladesh 11th out of 86 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the top quarter.

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 Bangladesh, year by year

Annual values for Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes (number) in Bangladesh, 1981 to 2019.
Year number Change
1981 10.21 million number
1991 11.96 million number +17.1%
2001 9.84 million number -17.7%
2007 11.42 million number +16.1%
2011 6.55 million number -42.7%
2012 6.63 million number +1.3%
2013 4.36 million number -34.3%
2014 4.37 million number +0.2%
2015 3.69 million number -15.4%
2016 2.38 million number -35.5%
2017 2.17 million number -9.0%
2018 2.05 million number -5.2%
2019 1.58 million number -23.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 10.21 million number 10.21 million number 10.21 million number 1
1990s 11.96 million number 11.96 million number 11.96 million number 1
2000s 10.63 million number 9.84 million number 11.42 million number 2
2010s 3.75 million number 1.58 million number 6.63 million number 9

Countries ranked near Bangladesh

  1. 8 Mali 1.83 million number compare
  2. 9 Mozambique 1.66 million number compare
  3. 10 Burkina Faso 1.65 million number compare
  4. 12 Tanzania, United Republic of 1.42 million number compare
  5. 13 Madagascar 1.02 million number compare
  6. 14 Uganda 939,689 number compare

See the full ranking of 125 places →

More education data for Bangladesh

All data for Bangladesh →

Frequently asked questions

What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Bangladesh?
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Bangladesh was 1.58 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in Bangladesh?
The highest recorded value was 11.96 million number in 1991.
What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in Bangladesh?
The lowest recorded value was 1.58 million number in 2019.
How does Bangladesh rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes?
Bangladesh ranks 11th out of 86 countries with data for 2019.
Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes rising or falling in Bangladesh?
Over the last ten years it is down 86.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Bangladesh 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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Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Bangladesh. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/youth-illiterate-population-15-24-years-both-sexes-number/bangladesh/

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About this data

Indicator
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
125 places, 2,250 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Total number of youth between age 15 and age 24 who cannot both read and write with understanding a short simple statement on their everyday life.