Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male was 23.27 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1985–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa is 23.27 million number, measured in 2019. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 6.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 23.27 million number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 12.02 million number, in 1985.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 7th out of 39 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 12.02 million number | — |
| 1986 | 12.30 million number | +2.4% |
| 1987 | 12.50 million number | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 12.86 million number | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 13.13 million number | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 13.46 million number | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 13.86 million number | +3.0% |
| 1992 | 14.37 million number | +3.7% |
| 1993 | 14.78 million number | +2.9% |
| 1994 | 15.23 million number | +3.0% |
| 1995 | 15.80 million number | +3.7% |
| 1996 | 16.25 million number | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 16.66 million number | +2.5% |
| 1998 | 17.19 million number | +3.2% |
| 1999 | 17.33 million number | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 18.51 million number | +6.8% |
| 2001 | 19.02 million number | +2.7% |
| 2002 | 17.97 million number | -5.5% |
| 2003 | 18.40 million number | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 18.06 million number | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 19.53 million number | +8.2% |
| 2006 | 19.83 million number | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 21.06 million number | +6.2% |
| 2008 | 21.50 million number | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 21.80 million number | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 21.88 million number | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 21.45 million number | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 20.89 million number | -2.6% |
| 2013 | 20.93 million number | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 21.12 million number | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 21.44 million number | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 21.89 million number | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 22.30 million number | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 22.80 million number | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 23.27 million number | +2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 12.56 million number | 12.02 million number | 13.13 million number | 5 |
| 1990s | 15.49 million number | 13.46 million number | 17.33 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.57 million number | 17.97 million number | 21.80 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.80 million number | 20.89 million number | 23.27 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 4 Ethiopia 3.08 million number compare
- 5 Bangladesh 988,851 number compare
- 6 Côte d'Ivoire 933,782 number compare
- 7 Egypt 899,333 number compare
- 8 Chad 878,946 number compare
- 9 Mali 791,218 number compare
- 10 Burkina Faso 769,429 number compare
More education data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 5.14 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 81.43 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 196.80 million (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 40.4% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9738 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 56.4% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1526 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa was 23.27 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 23.27 million number in 2019.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.02 million number in 1985.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 7th out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan 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.
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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.