Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in WB: Africa Western and Central
WB: Africa Western and Central: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female was 17.08 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
17.08 million
Change on year
up 2.8%
Rank
47th
of 204 groups
All-time high
17.08 million
in 2024
All-time low
9.26 million
in 1985
Years of data
40
1985–2024
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in WB: Africa Western and Central, 1985–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in WB: Africa Western and Central is 17.08 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 40 years on record.
The figure is up 2.8% on the previous year and up 11.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in WB: Africa Western and Central peaked at 17.08 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 9.26 million, in 1985.
That places WB: Africa Western and Central 47th out of 204 groups with data for 2024, putting it 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 WB: Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 9.26 million | — |
| 1986 | 9.48 million | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 9.59 million | +1.1% |
| 1988 | 9.76 million | +1.8% |
| 1989 | 9.89 million | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 10.02 million | +1.3% |
| 1991 | 10.13 million | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 10.29 million | +1.5% |
| 1993 | 10.43 million | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 10.53 million | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 10.90 million | +3.6% |
| 1996 | 11.01 million | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 11.08 million | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 11.11 million | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 11.24 million | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 13.41 million | +19.3% |
| 2001 | 13.34 million | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 13.44 million | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 13.55 million | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 13.49 million | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 13.77 million | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 13.78 million | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 14.74 million | +7.0% |
| 2008 | 14.95 million | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 15.42 million | +3.2% |
| 2010 | 15.48 million | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 15.30 million | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 15.46 million | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 15.45 million | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 15.35 million | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 15.24 million | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 15.31 million | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 15.29 million | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 14.61 million | -4.4% |
| 2019 | 15.13 million | +3.6% |
| 2020 | 15.55 million | +2.8% |
| 2021 | 15.89 million | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 16.23 million | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 16.61 million | +2.3% |
| 2024 | 17.08 million | +2.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 9.60 million | 9.26 million | 9.89 million | 5 |
| 1990s | 10.67 million | 10.02 million | 11.24 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.99 million | 13.34 million | 15.42 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.26 million | 14.61 million | 15.48 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.27 million | 15.55 million | 17.08 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near WB: Africa Western and Central
More education data for WB: Africa Western and Central
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 4.61 million (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 7.4 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.89 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.08 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.08 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.7294 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.00 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 6.08 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.09 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 18.05 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in WB: Africa Western and Central was 17.08 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female recorded in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 17.08 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female recorded in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.26 million in 1985.
- How does WB: Africa Western and Central rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female?
- WB: Africa Western and Central ranks 47th out of 204 groups with data for 2024.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female rising or falling in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this WB: Africa Western and Central 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