Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Low & middle income
Low & middle income: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes was 98.18 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling
Latest (2019)
98.18 million number
Change on year
down 1.8%
Rank
3rd
of 39 groups
All-time high
173.99 million number
in 1985
All-time low
98.18 million number
in 2019
Years of data
45
1975–2019
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Low & middle income, 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 Low & middle income is 98.18 million number, measured in 2019. 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 Low & middle income peaked at 173.99 million number in 1985 and was at its lowest, 98.18 million number, in 2019.
Low & middle income ranks 3rd 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 Low & middle income, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 167.94 million number | — |
| 1976 | 171.43 million number | +2.1% |
| 1977 | 173.55 million number | +1.2% |
| 1978 | 172.81 million number | -0.4% |
| 1979 | 172.25 million number | -0.3% |
| 1980 | 172.24 million number | -0.0% |
| 1981 | 172.64 million number | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 172.43 million number | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 173.64 million number | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 173.72 million number | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 173.99 million number | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 173.94 million number | -0.0% |
| 1987 | 171.13 million number | -1.6% |
| 1988 | 168.08 million number | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 167.28 million number | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 165.94 million number | -0.8% |
| 1991 | 164.81 million number | -0.7% |
| 1992 | 162.49 million number | -1.4% |
| 1993 | 160.87 million number | -1.0% |
| 1994 | 158.97 million number | -1.2% |
| 1995 | 157.21 million number | -1.1% |
| 1996 | 155.76 million number | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 148.45 million number | -4.7% |
| 1998 | 142.02 million number | -4.3% |
| 1999 | 140.47 million number | -1.1% |
| 2000 | 142.40 million number | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 141.61 million number | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 138.63 million number | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 135.86 million number | -2.0% |
| 2004 | 133.15 million number | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 133.78 million number | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 130.46 million number | -2.5% |
| 2007 | 134.51 million number | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 125.59 million number | -6.6% |
| 2009 | 125.17 million number | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 124.67 million number | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 121.77 million number | -2.3% |
| 2012 | 114.88 million number | -5.7% |
| 2013 | 110.57 million number | -3.8% |
| 2014 | 106.39 million number | -3.8% |
| 2015 | 105.81 million number | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 100.76 million number | -4.8% |
| 2017 | 98.73 million number | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 100.01 million number | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 98.18 million number | -1.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 171.60 million number | 167.94 million number | 173.55 million number | 5 |
| 1980s | 171.91 million number | 167.28 million number | 173.99 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 155.70 million number | 140.47 million number | 165.94 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 134.11 million number | 125.17 million number | 142.40 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 108.18 million number | 98.18 million number | 124.67 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Low & middle income
More education data for Low & middle income
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 27.98 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.6 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1043 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 701.53 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 26.3% (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 65.3% (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 554.22 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Low & middle income?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Low & middle income was 98.18 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in Low & middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 173.99 million number in 1985.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in Low & middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 98.18 million number in 2019.
- How does Low & middle income rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes?
- Low & middle income ranks 3rd out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes rising or falling in Low & middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Low & middle income 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.