Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa
MDG: Sub-saharan Africa: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female was 29.83 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
29.83 million
Change on year
up 1.5%
Rank
18th
of 204 groups
All-time high
31.39 million
in 2009
All-time low
19.36 million
in 1985
Years of data
40
1985–2024
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1985–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
MDG: Sub-saharan Africa recorded 29.83 million for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in 2024.
The figure is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 4.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 31.39 million in 2009 and was at its lowest, 19.36 million, in 1985.
MDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 18th of 204 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 40 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 19.36 million | — |
| 1986 | 19.72 million | +1.9% |
| 1987 | 19.91 million | +1.0% |
| 1988 | 20.24 million | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 20.47 million | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 20.66 million | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 21.00 million | +1.6% |
| 1992 | 21.48 million | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 21.76 million | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 21.99 million | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 22.62 million | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 22.84 million | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 22.93 million | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 23.53 million | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 23.74 million | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 26.09 million | +9.9% |
| 2001 | 26.22 million | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 26.71 million | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 27.03 million | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 27.25 million | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 28.26 million | +3.7% |
| 2006 | 29.89 million | +5.8% |
| 2007 | 30.49 million | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 30.93 million | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 31.39 million | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 31.08 million | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 29.46 million | -5.2% |
| 2012 | 28.80 million | -2.3% |
| 2013 | 28.49 million | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 28.49 million | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 28.35 million | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 28.20 million | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 28.09 million | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 27.17 million | -3.3% |
| 2019 | 27.56 million | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 28.13 million | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 28.54 million | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 28.95 million | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 29.39 million | +1.5% |
| 2024 | 29.83 million | +1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 19.94 million | 19.36 million | 20.47 million | 5 |
| 1990s | 22.25 million | 20.66 million | 23.74 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.43 million | 26.09 million | 31.39 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.57 million | 27.17 million | 31.08 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.97 million | 28.13 million | 29.83 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near MDG: Sub-saharan Africa
- 15 Iran, Islamic Republic of 131,849 compare
- 16 Togo 125,267 compare
- 17 Guatemala 108,966 compare
- 18 South Africa 103,339 compare
- 19 Brazil 94,296 compare
- 20 Mexico 89,786 compare
- 21 Philippines 71,303 compare
More education data for MDG: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 5.90 million (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 39.14 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.62 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 42.42 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 26.38 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.59 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 3.52 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 3.88 % change on previous year (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.60 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 29.83 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female recorded in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 31.39 million in 2009.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female recorded in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.36 million in 1985.
- How does MDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female?
- MDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 18th out of 204 groups with data for 2024.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female rising or falling in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this MDG: Sub-saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release