Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in IDA & IBRD total

IDA & IBRD total: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes was 98.23 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling

Latest (2019)
98.23 million number
Change on year
down 1.8%
Rank
2nd
of 39 groups
All-time high
174.14 million number
in 1985
All-time low
98.23 million number
in 2019
Years of data
45
1975–2019

Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in IDA & IBRD total, 1975–2019

050.0M100.0M150.0M1975199720191975: 168.1M number1976: 171.6M number1977: 173.7M number1978: 173.0M number1979: 172.4M number1980: 172.4M number1981: 172.8M number1982: 172.6M number1983: 173.8M number1984: 173.9M number1985: 174.1M number1986: 174.1M number1987: 171.3M number1988: 168.2M number1989: 167.4M number1990: 166.1M number1991: 164.9M number1992: 162.6M number1993: 161.0M number1994: 159.1M number1995: 157.3M number1996: 155.9M number1997: 148.6M number1998: 142.1M number1999: 140.6M number2000: 142.5M number2001: 141.8M number2002: 138.8M number2003: 136.0M number2004: 133.3M number2005: 133.9M number2006: 130.6M number2007: 134.6M number2008: 125.7M number2009: 125.3M number2010: 124.8M number2011: 121.8M number2012: 114.9M number2013: 110.6M number2014: 106.5M number2015: 105.9M number2016: 100.8M number2017: 98.8M number2018: 100.1M number2019: 98.2M number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

In 2019, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in IDA & IBRD total stood at 98.23 million number. That is the lowest value across all 45 years on record.

The figure is down 1.8% on the previous year and down 21.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in IDA & IBRD total peaked at 174.14 million number in 1985 and was at its lowest, 98.23 million number, in 2019.

IDA & IBRD total ranks 2nd of 39 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 45 years of available data.

Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in IDA & IBRD total, year by year

Annual values for Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes (number) in IDA & IBRD total, 1975 to 2019.
Year number Change
1975 168.11 million number
1976 171.59 million number +2.1%
1977 173.71 million number +1.2%
1978 172.97 million number -0.4%
1979 172.41 million number -0.3%
1980 172.39 million number -0.0%
1981 172.79 million number +0.2%
1982 172.58 million number -0.1%
1983 173.79 million number +0.7%
1984 173.87 million number +0.0%
1985 174.14 million number +0.2%
1986 174.09 million number -0.0%
1987 171.29 million number -1.6%
1988 168.24 million number -1.8%
1989 167.41 million number -0.5%
1990 166.07 million number -0.8%
1991 164.93 million number -0.7%
1992 162.62 million number -1.4%
1993 161.00 million number -1.0%
1994 159.09 million number -1.2%
1995 157.33 million number -1.1%
1996 155.88 million number -0.9%
1997 148.57 million number -4.7%
1998 142.13 million number -4.3%
1999 140.61 million number -1.1%
2000 142.54 million number +1.4%
2001 141.76 million number -0.5%
2002 138.79 million number -2.1%
2003 136.01 million number -2.0%
2004 133.30 million number -2.0%
2005 133.93 million number +0.5%
2006 130.60 million number -2.5%
2007 134.65 million number +3.1%
2008 125.72 million number -6.6%
2009 125.27 million number -0.4%
2010 124.76 million number -0.4%
2011 121.84 million number -2.3%
2012 114.94 million number -5.7%
2013 110.64 million number -3.7%
2014 106.46 million number -3.8%
2015 105.87 million number -0.6%
2016 100.81 million number -4.8%
2017 98.79 million number -2.0%
2018 100.06 million number +1.3%
2019 98.23 million number -1.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 171.76 million number 168.11 million number 173.71 million number 5
1980s 172.06 million number 167.41 million number 174.14 million number 10
1990s 155.82 million number 140.61 million number 166.07 million number 10
2000s 134.26 million number 125.27 million number 142.54 million number 10
2010s 108.24 million number 98.23 million number 124.76 million number 10

Countries ranked near IDA & IBRD total

  1. 1 India 20.54 million number compare
  2. 2 Pakistan 10.53 million number compare
  3. 3 Nigeria 9.36 million number compare
  4. 4 Ethiopia 6.27 million number compare
  5. 5 Côte d'Ivoire 2.15 million number compare

See the full ranking of 125 places →

More education data for IDA & IBRD total

All data for IDA & IBRD total →

Frequently asked questions

What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in IDA & IBRD total?
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in IDA & IBRD total was 98.23 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in IDA & IBRD total?
The highest recorded value was 174.14 million number in 1985.
What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in IDA & IBRD total?
The lowest recorded value was 98.23 million number in 2019.
How does IDA & IBRD total rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes?
IDA & IBRD total ranks 2nd out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes rising or falling in IDA & IBRD total?
Over the last ten years it is down 21.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this IDA & IBRD total 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 IDA & IBRD total. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 09 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/youth-illiterate-population-15-24-years-both-sexes-number/ida-and-ibrd-total/

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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.