Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes was 7.19 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, 1974–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan recorded 7.19 million number for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in 2019.
That represents a change of down 2.4% on the previous year and down 18.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan peaked at 13.03 million number in 1982 and was at its lowest, 4.54 million number, in 2014.
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 21st 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 Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 12.02 million number | — |
| 1975 | 12.26 million number | +2.0% |
| 1976 | 12.44 million number | +1.4% |
| 1977 | 12.62 million number | +1.5% |
| 1978 | 12.74 million number | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 12.85 million number | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 12.94 million number | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 12.99 million number | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 13.03 million number | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 13.00 million number | -0.2% |
| 1984 | 12.86 million number | -1.1% |
| 1985 | 12.69 million number | -1.3% |
| 1986 | 12.45 million number | -1.9% |
| 1987 | 12.28 million number | -1.4% |
| 1988 | 12.05 million number | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 11.84 million number | -1.8% |
| 1990 | 11.05 million number | -6.7% |
| 1991 | 10.58 million number | -4.2% |
| 1992 | 10.32 million number | -2.4% |
| 1993 | 10.65 million number | +3.1% |
| 1994 | 10.44 million number | -1.9% |
| 1995 | 10.05 million number | -3.8% |
| 1996 | 9.88 million number | -1.7% |
| 1997 | 9.77 million number | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 9.71 million number | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 9.58 million number | -1.4% |
| 2000 | 9.44 million number | -1.5% |
| 2001 | 9.18 million number | -2.7% |
| 2002 | 8.80 million number | -4.1% |
| 2003 | 8.31 million number | -5.6% |
| 2004 | 8.06 million number | -3.0% |
| 2005 | 7.92 million number | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 7.95 million number | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 7.56 million number | -4.9% |
| 2008 | 7.04 million number | -6.8% |
| 2009 | 8.80 million number | +24.9% |
| 2010 | 8.56 million number | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 8.49 million number | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 5.66 million number | -33.3% |
| 2013 | 5.43 million number | -4.2% |
| 2014 | 4.54 million number | -16.2% |
| 2015 | 6.82 million number | +50.2% |
| 2016 | 5.14 million number | -24.7% |
| 2017 | 4.69 million number | -8.6% |
| 2018 | 7.37 million number | +57.1% |
| 2019 | 7.19 million number | -2.4% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 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 | +57.1% | 4.69 million number | 7.37 million number |
| 2015 | +50.2% | 4.54 million number | 6.82 million number |
| 2012 | -33.3% | 8.49 million number | 5.66 million number |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 12.49 million number | 12.02 million number | 12.85 million number | 6 |
| 1980s | 12.62 million number | 11.84 million number | 13.03 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.20 million number | 9.58 million number | 11.05 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.31 million number | 7.04 million number | 9.44 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.39 million number | 4.54 million number | 8.56 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
More education data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.65 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 3.29 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.113 units per person (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 31.7% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 63.1% (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 68.09 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 91.90 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan →
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan was 7.19 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?
- The highest recorded value was 13.03 million number in 1982.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.54 million number in 2014.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 21st 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?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 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
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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.