Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in World
World: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes was 99.40 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling
Latest (2019)
99.40 million number
Change on year
down 1.9%
Rank
1st
of 1 groups
All-time high
178.06 million number
in 1977
All-time low
99.40 million number
in 2019
Years of data
45
1975–2019
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in World, 1975–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
In 2019, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in World stood at 99.40 million number. That is the lowest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.9% on the previous year and down 21.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in World peaked at 178.06 million number in 1977 and was at its lowest, 99.40 million number, in 2019.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 45 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in World, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 172.56 million number | — |
| 1976 | 176.00 million number | +2.0% |
| 1977 | 178.06 million number | +1.2% |
| 1978 | 177.26 million number | -0.5% |
| 1979 | 176.65 million number | -0.3% |
| 1980 | 176.60 million number | -0.0% |
| 1981 | 176.95 million number | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 176.66 million number | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 177.80 million number | +0.6% |
| 1984 | 177.81 million number | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 178.03 million number | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 177.96 million number | -0.0% |
| 1987 | 175.00 million number | -1.7% |
| 1988 | 171.61 million number | -1.9% |
| 1989 | 170.71 million number | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 169.28 million number | -0.8% |
| 1991 | 168.05 million number | -0.7% |
| 1992 | 166.03 million number | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 164.30 million number | -1.0% |
| 1994 | 162.23 million number | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 160.30 million number | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 158.74 million number | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 151.30 million number | -4.7% |
| 1998 | 144.81 million number | -4.3% |
| 1999 | 143.12 million number | -1.2% |
| 2000 | 144.98 million number | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 144.13 million number | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 140.97 million number | -2.2% |
| 2003 | 138.13 million number | -2.0% |
| 2004 | 135.30 million number | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 135.80 million number | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 132.48 million number | -2.4% |
| 2007 | 136.38 million number | +2.9% |
| 2008 | 127.45 million number | -6.5% |
| 2009 | 126.89 million number | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 126.44 million number | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 123.57 million number | -2.3% |
| 2012 | 116.61 million number | -5.6% |
| 2013 | 112.25 million number | -3.7% |
| 2014 | 107.83 million number | -3.9% |
| 2015 | 107.20 million number | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 102.12 million number | -4.7% |
| 2017 | 100.04 million number | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 101.28 million number | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 99.40 million number | -1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 176.11 million number | 172.56 million number | 178.06 million number | 5 |
| 1980s | 175.91 million number | 170.71 million number | 178.03 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 158.82 million number | 143.12 million number | 169.28 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 136.25 million number | 126.89 million number | 144.98 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 109.68 million number | 99.40 million number | 126.44 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near World
More education data for World
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 780.85 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.43 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0959 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 34.10 million (2024)
- Population ages 15-64 65.2% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 24.4% (2025)
- School enrollment, primary 102.2% (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per capita 0.0042 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in World?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in World was 99.40 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in World?
- The highest recorded value was 178.06 million number in 1977.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in World?
- The lowest recorded value was 99.40 million number in 2019.
- How does World rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes?
- World ranks 1st out of 1 groups with data for 2019.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes rising or falling in World?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this World 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.