Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean
Latin America & Caribbean: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes was 1.52 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean, 1974–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
Latin America & Caribbean recorded 1.52 million number for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 46 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.9% on the previous year and down 43.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean peaked at 8.32 million number in 1985 and was at its lowest, 1.52 million number, in 2019.
Latin America & Caribbean ranks 29th of 39 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 46 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 7.56 million number | — |
| 1975 | 7.80 million number | +3.1% |
| 1976 | 7.85 million number | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 7.88 million number | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 7.90 million number | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 7.97 million number | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 8.12 million number | +1.9% |
| 1981 | 8.17 million number | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 8.23 million number | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 8.28 million number | +0.6% |
| 1984 | 8.31 million number | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 8.32 million number | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 8.32 million number | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 8.29 million number | -0.3% |
| 1988 | 8.15 million number | -1.7% |
| 1989 | 7.99 million number | -2.1% |
| 1990 | 7.87 million number | -1.4% |
| 1991 | 7.44 million number | -5.4% |
| 1992 | 6.99 million number | -6.1% |
| 1993 | 6.53 million number | -6.5% |
| 1994 | 6.07 million number | -7.0% |
| 1995 | 5.61 million number | -7.7% |
| 1996 | 5.40 million number | -3.7% |
| 1997 | 5.39 million number | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 5.19 million number | -3.7% |
| 1999 | 5.07 million number | -2.3% |
| 2000 | 4.93 million number | -2.7% |
| 2001 | 4.86 million number | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 4.53 million number | -6.9% |
| 2003 | 3.80 million number | -16.2% |
| 2004 | 3.69 million number | -2.8% |
| 2005 | 3.51 million number | -4.8% |
| 2006 | 3.41 million number | -3.0% |
| 2007 | 3.15 million number | -7.6% |
| 2008 | 3.02 million number | -4.2% |
| 2009 | 2.70 million number | -10.4% |
| 2010 | 2.86 million number | +5.9% |
| 2011 | 2.39 million number | -16.5% |
| 2012 | 2.23 million number | -6.6% |
| 2013 | 2.26 million number | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 1.93 million number | -14.8% |
| 2015 | 1.85 million number | -4.1% |
| 2016 | 1.71 million number | -7.4% |
| 2017 | 1.66 million number | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 1.58 million number | -5.2% |
| 2019 | 1.52 million number | -3.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 7.83 million number | 7.56 million number | 7.97 million number | 6 |
| 1980s | 8.22 million number | 7.99 million number | 8.32 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.16 million number | 5.07 million number | 7.87 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.76 million number | 2.70 million number | 4.93 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.00 million number | 1.52 million number | 2.86 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Latin America & Caribbean
More education data for Latin America & Caribbean
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 3.34 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 63.30 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 61.44 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.1923 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0928 units per person (2024)
- Population ages 15-64 67.7% (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 22.1% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean was 1.52 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in Latin America & Caribbean?
- The highest recorded value was 8.32 million number in 1985.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in Latin America & Caribbean?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.52 million number in 2019.
- How does Latin America & Caribbean rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes?
- Latin America & Caribbean ranks 29th out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes rising or falling in Latin America & Caribbean?
- Over the last ten years it is down 43.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Latin America & Caribbean 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
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.