Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in UNICEF: West and Central Africa
UNICEF: West and Central Africa: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female was 18.48 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
18.48 million
Change on year
up 2.6%
Rank
45th
of 204 groups
All-time high
18.48 million
in 2024
All-time low
10.29 million
in 1985
Years of data
40
1985–2024
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, 1985–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in UNICEF: West and Central Africa is 18.48 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 40 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.6% on the previous year and up 9.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in UNICEF: West and Central Africa peaked at 18.48 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 10.29 million, in 1985.
UNICEF: West and Central Africa ranks 45th of 204 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 40 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 10.29 million | — |
| 1986 | 10.55 million | +2.4% |
| 1987 | 10.69 million | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 10.90 million | +2.0% |
| 1989 | 11.05 million | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 11.22 million | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 11.38 million | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 11.56 million | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 11.75 million | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 11.89 million | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 12.37 million | +4.0% |
| 1996 | 12.48 million | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 12.55 million | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 12.58 million | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 12.79 million | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 15.03 million | +17.5% |
| 2001 | 15.05 million | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 15.22 million | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 15.41 million | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 15.43 million | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 15.81 million | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 16.41 million | +3.8% |
| 2007 | 17.43 million | +6.2% |
| 2008 | 17.70 million | +1.6% |
| 2009 | 18.24 million | +3.0% |
| 2010 | 18.37 million | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 16.93 million | -7.8% |
| 2012 | 17.08 million | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 17.03 million | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 16.89 million | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 16.85 million | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 16.93 million | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 16.89 million | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 16.18 million | -4.2% |
| 2019 | 16.65 million | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 17.02 million | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 17.31 million | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 17.64 million | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 18.01 million | +2.1% |
| 2024 | 18.48 million | +2.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 10.70 million | 10.29 million | 11.05 million | 5 |
| 1990s | 12.06 million | 11.22 million | 12.79 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.17 million | 15.03 million | 18.24 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.98 million | 16.18 million | 18.37 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.69 million | 17.02 million | 18.48 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: West and Central Africa
- 42 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 4,411 compare
- 43 Türkiye 4,064 compare
- 44 Panama 3,871 compare
- 45 Palestine, State of 3,389 compare
- 46 United Arab Emirates 2,446 compare
- 47 Uruguay 1,548 compare
- 48 Kuwait 910 compare
More education data for UNICEF: West and Central Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 4.92 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 20.41 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.9224 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 22.91 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.5411 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 8.34 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 0.9535 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.20 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.46 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.73 % change on previous year (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in UNICEF: West and Central Africa was 18.48 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 18.48 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.29 million in 1985.
- How does UNICEF: West and Central Africa rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female?
- UNICEF: West and Central Africa ranks 45th out of 204 groups with data for 2024.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female rising or falling in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: West and Central 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