Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Middle income
Middle income: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes was 61.81 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in 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 Middle income is 61.81 million number, measured in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.4% on the previous year and down 30.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Middle income peaked at 153.86 million number in 1977 and was at its lowest, 61.81 million number, in 2019.
Middle income ranks 5th of 39 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 45 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Middle income, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 148.94 million number | — |
| 1976 | 152.07 million number | +2.1% |
| 1977 | 153.86 million number | +1.2% |
| 1978 | 152.81 million number | -0.7% |
| 1979 | 151.94 million number | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 151.62 million number | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 151.78 million number | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 151.28 million number | -0.3% |
| 1983 | 152.18 million number | +0.6% |
| 1984 | 151.87 million number | -0.2% |
| 1985 | 151.76 million number | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 151.28 million number | -0.3% |
| 1987 | 148.14 million number | -2.1% |
| 1988 | 144.58 million number | -2.4% |
| 1989 | 143.26 million number | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 141.35 million number | -1.3% |
| 1991 | 139.27 million number | -1.5% |
| 1992 | 135.93 million number | -2.4% |
| 1993 | 133.52 million number | -1.8% |
| 1994 | 130.80 million number | -2.0% |
| 1995 | 128.40 million number | -1.8% |
| 1996 | 126.25 million number | -1.7% |
| 1997 | 118.28 million number | -6.3% |
| 1998 | 111.25 million number | -6.0% |
| 1999 | 108.99 million number | -2.0% |
| 2000 | 110.00 million number | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 108.57 million number | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 106.44 million number | -2.0% |
| 2003 | 103.13 million number | -3.1% |
| 2004 | 100.99 million number | -2.1% |
| 2005 | 99.89 million number | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 94.23 million number | -5.7% |
| 2007 | 98.76 million number | +4.8% |
| 2008 | 89.35 million number | -9.5% |
| 2009 | 88.82 million number | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 87.91 million number | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 86.65 million number | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 79.75 million number | -8.0% |
| 2013 | 75.78 million number | -5.0% |
| 2014 | 71.16 million number | -6.1% |
| 2015 | 70.36 million number | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 65.09 million number | -7.5% |
| 2017 | 63.22 million number | -2.9% |
| 2018 | 64.01 million number | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 61.81 million number | -3.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 151.92 million number | 148.94 million number | 153.86 million number | 5 |
| 1980s | 149.77 million number | 143.26 million number | 152.18 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 127.41 million number | 108.99 million number | 141.35 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 100.02 million number | 88.82 million number | 110.00 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 72.57 million number | 61.81 million number | 87.91 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Middle income
More education data for Middle income
- Population ages 0-14 24.4% (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 510.99 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 589.09 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.71 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0986 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 66.5% (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 25.11 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Middle income?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Middle income was 61.81 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 income?
- The highest recorded value was 153.86 million number in 1977.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in Middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 61.81 million number in 2019.
- How does Middle income rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes?
- Middle income ranks 5th out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes rising or falling in Middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.