Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in South Asia
South Asia: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male was 14.90 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in South Asia, 1975–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in South Asia is 14.90 million number, measured in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is down 5.0% on the previous year and down 29.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in South Asia peaked at 38.76 million number in 1987 and was at its lowest, 14.90 million number, in 2019.
South Asia ranks 16th of 39 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 45 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in South Asia, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 30.72 million number | — |
| 1976 | 31.62 million number | +2.9% |
| 1977 | 32.15 million number | +1.7% |
| 1978 | 32.74 million number | +1.8% |
| 1979 | 33.41 million number | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 34.17 million number | +2.3% |
| 1981 | 35.00 million number | +2.4% |
| 1982 | 35.68 million number | +1.9% |
| 1983 | 36.37 million number | +2.0% |
| 1984 | 37.09 million number | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 37.76 million number | +1.8% |
| 1986 | 38.29 million number | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 38.76 million number | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 36.20 million number | -6.6% |
| 1989 | 35.95 million number | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 35.80 million number | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 35.70 million number | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 34.75 million number | -2.7% |
| 1993 | 33.79 million number | -2.8% |
| 1994 | 33.65 million number | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 33.52 million number | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 33.37 million number | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 33.28 million number | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 28.33 million number | -14.9% |
| 1999 | 28.11 million number | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 28.00 million number | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 27.96 million number | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 27.82 million number | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 26.79 million number | -3.7% |
| 2004 | 26.64 million number | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 24.35 million number | -8.6% |
| 2006 | 23.32 million number | -4.3% |
| 2007 | 26.10 million number | +11.9% |
| 2008 | 21.81 million number | -16.4% |
| 2009 | 21.22 million number | -2.7% |
| 2010 | 21.92 million number | +3.3% |
| 2011 | 21.70 million number | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 20.87 million number | -3.8% |
| 2013 | 19.44 million number | -6.9% |
| 2014 | 18.87 million number | -2.9% |
| 2015 | 18.13 million number | -3.9% |
| 2016 | 16.89 million number | -6.8% |
| 2017 | 16.23 million number | -3.9% |
| 2018 | 15.69 million number | -3.3% |
| 2019 | 14.90 million number | -5.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 32.13 million number | 30.72 million number | 33.41 million number | 5 |
| 1980s | 36.53 million number | 34.17 million number | 38.76 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 33.03 million number | 28.11 million number | 35.80 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.40 million number | 21.22 million number | 28.00 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.46 million number | 14.90 million number | 21.92 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
More education data for South Asia
- Population ages 0-14 24.6% (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 5.84 million (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 152.88 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0959 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Population ages 15-64 68.1% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 4.5 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 160.82 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in South Asia?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in South Asia was 14.90 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 38.76 million number in 1987.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.90 million number in 2019.
- How does South Asia rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male?
- South Asia ranks 16th out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 29.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Asia 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.
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About this data
Total number of males between age 15 and age 24 who cannot both read and write with understanding a short simple statement on their everyday life.