Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income): Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes was 7.11 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), 1972–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) recorded 7.11 million number for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in 2019.
That represents a change of down 2.3% on the previous year and down 17.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) peaked at 12.53 million number in 1982 and was at its lowest, 4.45 million number, in 2014.
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) ranks 22nd of 39 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 48 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 11.15 million number | — |
| 1973 | 11.41 million number | +2.3% |
| 1974 | 11.66 million number | +2.2% |
| 1975 | 11.89 million number | +2.0% |
| 1976 | 12.04 million number | +1.3% |
| 1977 | 12.20 million number | +1.3% |
| 1978 | 12.30 million number | +0.9% |
| 1979 | 12.40 million number | +0.8% |
| 1980 | 12.48 million number | +0.6% |
| 1981 | 12.50 million number | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 12.53 million number | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 12.48 million number | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 12.33 million number | -1.2% |
| 1985 | 12.16 million number | -1.4% |
| 1986 | 11.89 million number | -2.2% |
| 1987 | 11.70 million number | -1.6% |
| 1988 | 11.50 million number | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 11.31 million number | -1.6% |
| 1990 | 10.55 million number | -6.7% |
| 1991 | 10.13 million number | -4.0% |
| 1992 | 9.87 million number | -2.5% |
| 1993 | 10.23 million number | +3.6% |
| 1994 | 10.05 million number | -1.7% |
| 1995 | 9.68 million number | -3.7% |
| 1996 | 9.51 million number | -1.8% |
| 1997 | 9.41 million number | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 9.43 million number | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 9.32 million number | -1.2% |
| 2000 | 9.20 million number | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 8.95 million number | -2.7% |
| 2002 | 8.59 million number | -4.1% |
| 2003 | 8.04 million number | -6.4% |
| 2004 | 7.81 million number | -2.9% |
| 2005 | 7.69 million number | -1.6% |
| 2006 | 7.72 million number | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 7.33 million number | -5.0% |
| 2008 | 6.82 million number | -7.0% |
| 2009 | 8.60 million number | +26.1% |
| 2010 | 8.37 million number | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 8.37 million number | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 5.55 million number | -33.7% |
| 2013 | 5.32 million number | -4.2% |
| 2014 | 4.45 million number | -16.3% |
| 2015 | 6.75 million number | +51.7% |
| 2016 | 5.05 million number | -25.2% |
| 2017 | 4.60 million number | -8.9% |
| 2018 | 7.28 million number | +58.3% |
| 2019 | 7.11 million number | -2.3% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | +58.3% | 4.60 million number | 7.28 million number |
| 2015 | +51.7% | 4.45 million number | 6.75 million number |
| 2012 | -33.7% | 8.37 million number | 5.55 million number |
| 2009 | +26.1% | 6.82 million number | 8.60 million number |
| 2016 | -25.2% | 6.75 million number | 5.05 million number |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 11.88 million number | 11.15 million number | 12.40 million number | 8 |
| 1980s | 12.09 million number | 11.31 million number | 12.53 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.82 million number | 9.32 million number | 10.55 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.07 million number | 6.82 million number | 9.20 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.29 million number | 4.45 million number | 8.37 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
More education data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
- Population ages 0-14 32.7% (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 62.0% (2025)
- Number of under-five deaths, female, per capita 0.0004 units per person (2024)
- Number of under-five deaths, male, annual growth rate -2.91 % change on previous year (2024)
- Number of infant deaths, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Number of infant deaths, male, per capita 0.0004 units per person (2024)
- Number of under-five deaths, female, annual growth rate -3.3 % change on previous year (2024)
- Number of under-five deaths, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) was 7.11 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 12.53 million number in 1982.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.45 million number in 2014.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) ranks 22nd out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high 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.