Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female was 4.25 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, 1974–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (http://uis.unesco.org/). Measured in number.
Analysis
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan recorded 4.25 million number for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in 2019.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.4% on the previous year and down 22.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan peaked at 8.54 million number in 1983 and was at its lowest, 2.99 million number, in 2017.
That places Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 21st out of 39 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 46 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 7.78 million number | — |
| 1975 | 7.95 million number | +2.1% |
| 1976 | 8.08 million number | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 8.19 million number | +1.4% |
| 1978 | 8.27 million number | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 8.35 million number | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 8.41 million number | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 8.45 million number | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 8.48 million number | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 8.54 million number | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 8.46 million number | -0.9% |
| 1985 | 8.36 million number | -1.2% |
| 1986 | 8.21 million number | -1.8% |
| 1987 | 8.10 million number | -1.3% |
| 1988 | 7.96 million number | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 7.81 million number | -1.8% |
| 1990 | 7.32 million number | -6.3% |
| 1991 | 7.09 million number | -3.2% |
| 1992 | 6.91 million number | -2.5% |
| 1993 | 7.20 million number | +4.2% |
| 1994 | 7.04 million number | -2.2% |
| 1995 | 6.73 million number | -4.4% |
| 1996 | 6.59 million number | -2.1% |
| 1997 | 6.49 million number | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 6.40 million number | -1.4% |
| 1999 | 6.26 million number | -2.1% |
| 2000 | 6.13 million number | -2.2% |
| 2001 | 5.94 million number | -3.1% |
| 2002 | 5.67 million number | -4.5% |
| 2003 | 5.68 million number | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 5.47 million number | -3.7% |
| 2005 | 5.34 million number | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 5.11 million number | -4.4% |
| 2007 | 4.85 million number | -5.0% |
| 2008 | 4.55 million number | -6.2% |
| 2009 | 5.51 million number | +21.0% |
| 2010 | 5.34 million number | -3.1% |
| 2011 | 5.30 million number | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 3.81 million number | -28.2% |
| 2013 | 3.52 million number | -7.5% |
| 2014 | 3.04 million number | -13.7% |
| 2015 | 4.15 million number | +36.5% |
| 2016 | 3.28 million number | -20.9% |
| 2017 | 2.99 million number | -9.1% |
| 2018 | 4.35 million number | +45.7% |
| 2019 | 4.25 million number | -2.4% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | +45.7% | 2.99 million number | 4.35 million number |
| 2015 | +36.5% | 3.04 million number | 4.15 million number |
| 2012 | -28.2% | 5.30 million number | 3.81 million number |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 8.10 million number | 7.78 million number | 8.35 million number | 6 |
| 1980s | 8.28 million number | 7.81 million number | 8.54 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.81 million number | 6.26 million number | 7.32 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.43 million number | 4.55 million number | 6.13 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.00 million number | 2.99 million number | 5.34 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
More education data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.65 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 3.29 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.113 units per person (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 31.7% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 63.1% (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 68.09 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 91.90 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan →
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan was 4.25 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (http://uis.unesco.org/).
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 8.54 million number in 1983.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.99 million number in 2017.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 21st out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (http://uis.unesco.org/), published as part of Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Total number of females between age 15 and age 24 who cannot both read and write with understanding a short simple statement on their everyday life.