Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa
UIS: Sub-saharan Africa: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female was 28.36 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
28.36 million
Change on year
up 1.6%
Rank
26th
of 204 groups
All-time high
29.99 million
in 2009
All-time low
18.31 million
in 1984
Years of data
41
1984–2024
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa, 1984–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
UIS: Sub-saharan Africa recorded 28.36 million for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.6% on the previous year and up 4.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 29.99 million in 2009 and was at its lowest, 18.31 million, in 1984.
UIS: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 26th of 204 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 41 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 18.31 million | — |
| 1985 | 18.60 million | +1.6% |
| 1986 | 18.95 million | +1.9% |
| 1987 | 19.12 million | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 19.43 million | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 19.65 million | +1.1% |
| 1990 | 19.82 million | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 20.14 million | +1.6% |
| 1992 | 20.61 million | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 20.87 million | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 21.08 million | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 21.69 million | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 21.92 million | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 22.03 million | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 22.65 million | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 22.87 million | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 25.24 million | +10.4% |
| 2001 | 25.38 million | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 25.88 million | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 26.22 million | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 26.46 million | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 27.44 million | +3.7% |
| 2006 | 28.48 million | +3.8% |
| 2007 | 29.08 million | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 29.52 million | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 29.99 million | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 29.67 million | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 28.07 million | -5.4% |
| 2012 | 27.48 million | -2.1% |
| 2013 | 27.19 million | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 27.20 million | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 27.05 million | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 26.89 million | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 26.79 million | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 25.86 million | -3.5% |
| 2019 | 26.21 million | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 26.76 million | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 27.14 million | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 27.51 million | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 27.92 million | +1.5% |
| 2024 | 28.36 million | +1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 19.01 million | 18.31 million | 19.65 million | 6 |
| 1990s | 21.37 million | 19.82 million | 22.87 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 27.37 million | 25.24 million | 29.99 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.24 million | 25.86 million | 29.67 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.54 million | 26.76 million | 28.36 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UIS: Sub-saharan Africa
More education data for UIS: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 9.73 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.7518 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 37.39 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.61 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 40.73 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.23 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 25.04 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.63 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 3.6 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 4.53 % change on previous year (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa was 28.36 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female recorded in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 29.99 million in 2009.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female recorded in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.31 million in 1984.
- How does UIS: Sub-saharan Africa rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female?
- UIS: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 26th out of 204 groups with data for 2024.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female rising or falling in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UIS: 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