Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in IBRD only
IBRD only: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes was 28.91 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in IBRD only, 1975–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in IBRD only is 28.91 million number, measured in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is down 5.2% on the previous year and down 40.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in IBRD only peaked at 124.46 million number in 1977 and was at its lowest, 28.91 million number, in 2019.
IBRD only ranks 17th of 38 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 45 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in IBRD only, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 121.51 million number | — |
| 1976 | 123.64 million number | +1.8% |
| 1977 | 124.46 million number | +0.7% |
| 1978 | 122.34 million number | -1.7% |
| 1979 | 120.35 million number | -1.6% |
| 1980 | 118.84 million number | -1.3% |
| 1981 | 117.77 million number | -0.9% |
| 1982 | 116.23 million number | -1.3% |
| 1983 | 116.09 million number | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 114.86 million number | -1.1% |
| 1985 | 113.86 million number | -0.9% |
| 1986 | 112.66 million number | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 108.94 million number | -3.3% |
| 1988 | 105.83 million number | -2.9% |
| 1989 | 104.20 million number | -1.5% |
| 1990 | 101.97 million number | -2.1% |
| 1991 | 99.58 million number | -2.3% |
| 1992 | 96.85 million number | -2.7% |
| 1993 | 94.98 million number | -1.9% |
| 1994 | 92.50 million number | -2.6% |
| 1995 | 89.88 million number | -2.8% |
| 1996 | 87.68 million number | -2.4% |
| 1997 | 79.53 million number | -9.3% |
| 1998 | 73.01 million number | -8.2% |
| 1999 | 71.39 million number | -2.2% |
| 2000 | 69.82 million number | -2.2% |
| 2001 | 68.29 million number | -2.2% |
| 2002 | 66.21 million number | -3.0% |
| 2003 | 63.38 million number | -4.3% |
| 2004 | 61.43 million number | -3.1% |
| 2005 | 59.43 million number | -3.3% |
| 2006 | 57.05 million number | -4.0% |
| 2007 | 53.41 million number | -6.4% |
| 2008 | 49.24 million number | -7.8% |
| 2009 | 48.38 million number | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 48.12 million number | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 45.54 million number | -5.4% |
| 2012 | 40.30 million number | -11.5% |
| 2013 | 37.88 million number | -6.0% |
| 2014 | 34.35 million number | -9.3% |
| 2015 | 34.54 million number | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 30.89 million number | -10.6% |
| 2017 | 29.19 million number | -5.5% |
| 2018 | 30.48 million number | +4.4% |
| 2019 | 28.91 million number | -5.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 122.46 million number | 120.35 million number | 124.46 million number | 5 |
| 1980s | 112.93 million number | 104.20 million number | 118.84 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 88.74 million number | 71.39 million number | 101.97 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 59.66 million number | 48.38 million number | 69.82 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.02 million number | 28.91 million number | 48.12 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near IBRD only
More education data for IBRD only
- Population ages 0-14 21.4% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 68.1% (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 21.35 million (2024)
- School enrollment, primary 105.8% (2024)
- Primary education, teachers 21.35 million (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per capita 0.0043 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female 105.5% (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, male 106.0% (2024)
- Labor force, total 2.34 billion (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in IBRD only?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in IBRD only was 28.91 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in IBRD only?
- The highest recorded value was 124.46 million number in 1977.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in IBRD only?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.91 million number in 2019.
- How does IBRD only rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes?
- IBRD only ranks 17th out of 38 groups with data for 2019.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes rising or falling in IBRD only?
- Over the last ten years it is down 40.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this IBRD only 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
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.