Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa
UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male was 11.64 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
11.64 million
Change on year
up 1.2%
Rank
53rd
of 204 groups
All-time high
11.64 million
in 2024
All-time low
5.98 million
in 1985
Years of data
40
1985–2024
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa, 1985–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa stood at 11.64 million. That is the highest value across all 40 years on record.
The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 20.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa peaked at 11.64 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 5.98 million, in 1985.
UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa ranks 53rd of 204 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 40 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 5.98 million | — |
| 1986 | 6.15 million | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 6.24 million | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 6.42 million | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 6.51 million | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 6.64 million | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 6.86 million | +3.3% |
| 1992 | 7.19 million | +4.9% |
| 1993 | 7.39 million | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 7.64 million | +3.3% |
| 1995 | 7.82 million | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 8.12 million | +3.8% |
| 1997 | 8.30 million | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 8.78 million | +5.8% |
| 1999 | 8.60 million | -2.1% |
| 2000 | 8.89 million | +3.4% |
| 2001 | 9.19 million | +3.3% |
| 2002 | 7.88 million | -14.2% |
| 2003 | 8.10 million | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 8.35 million | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 8.97 million | +7.3% |
| 2006 | 10.08 million | +12.5% |
| 2007 | 10.06 million | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 10.10 million | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 10.19 million | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 9.94 million | -2.4% |
| 2011 | 10.06 million | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 9.40 million | -6.5% |
| 2013 | 9.37 million | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 9.70 million | +3.5% |
| 2015 | 9.91 million | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 9.95 million | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 10.31 million | +3.6% |
| 2018 | 10.25 million | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 10.32 million | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 10.60 million | +2.7% |
| 2021 | 10.95 million | +3.2% |
| 2022 | 11.23 million | +2.6% |
| 2023 | 11.50 million | +2.4% |
| 2024 | 11.64 million | +1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 6.26 million | 5.98 million | 6.51 million | 5 |
| 1990s | 7.73 million | 6.64 million | 8.78 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.18 million | 7.88 million | 10.19 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.92 million | 9.37 million | 10.32 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.18 million | 10.60 million | 11.64 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa
More education data for UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 49.26 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 1.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.50 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 2.77 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 36.30 million (2022)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.22 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 50.69 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.32 % change on previous year (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 8.67 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 9.20 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa was 11.64 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male recorded in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 11.64 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male recorded in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.98 million in 1985.
- How does UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male?
- UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa ranks 53rd out of 204 groups with data for 2024.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male rising or falling in UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: Eastern and Southern Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release