Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes was 52.06 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising
Latest (2019)
52.06 million number
Change on year
up 1.3%
Rank
7th
of 39 groups
All-time high
53.14 million number
in 2009
All-time low
30.94 million number
in 1985
Years of data
35
1985–2019
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1985–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
In 2019, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 52.06 million number.
That represents a change of up 1.3% on the previous year and down 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 53.14 million number in 2009 and was at its lowest, 30.94 million number, in 1985.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 7th of 39 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 30.94 million number | — |
| 1986 | 31.59 million number | +2.1% |
| 1987 | 32.00 million number | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 32.72 million number | +2.3% |
| 1989 | 33.30 million number | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 33.91 million number | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 34.72 million number | +2.4% |
| 1992 | 35.69 million number | +2.8% |
| 1993 | 36.43 million number | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 37.19 million number | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 38.26 million number | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 38.95 million number | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 39.58 million number | +1.6% |
| 1998 | 40.84 million number | +3.2% |
| 1999 | 41.24 million number | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 44.84 million number | +8.7% |
| 2001 | 45.51 million number | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 45.01 million number | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 45.68 million number | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 45.06 million number | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 48.02 million number | +6.6% |
| 2006 | 48.20 million number | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 51.57 million number | +7.0% |
| 2008 | 52.46 million number | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 53.14 million number | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 52.99 million number | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 51.20 million number | -3.4% |
| 2012 | 49.99 million number | -2.4% |
| 2013 | 49.90 million number | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 49.95 million number | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 50.24 million number | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 50.59 million number | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 50.78 million number | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 51.40 million number | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 52.06 million number | +1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 32.11 million number | 30.94 million number | 33.30 million number | 5 |
| 1990s | 37.68 million number | 33.91 million number | 41.24 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 47.95 million number | 44.84 million number | 53.14 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 50.91 million number | 49.90 million number | 52.99 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 4 Ethiopia 6.27 million number compare
- 5 Côte d'Ivoire 2.15 million number compare
- 6 Chad 2.02 million number compare
- 7 Egypt 1.98 million number compare
- 8 Mali 1.83 million number compare
- 9 Mozambique 1.66 million number compare
- 10 Burkina Faso 1.65 million number compare
More education data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 5.14 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 81.43 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 196.80 million (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 40.4% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9738 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 56.4% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1526 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa was 52.06 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 53.14 million number in 2009.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 30.94 million number in 1985.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 7th out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa 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.