Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: South Asia
WB: South Asia: Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes was 96.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: South Asia, 1975–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: South Asia is 96.9%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 9.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: South Asia peaked at 96.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 49.6%, in 1976.
That places WB: South Asia 71st out of 204 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: South Asia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 49.6% | — |
| 1976 | 49.6% | -0.0% |
| 1977 | 50.3% | +1.5% |
| 1978 | 51.0% | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 51.7% | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 52.2% | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 52.7% | +0.9% |
| 1982 | 53.4% | +1.2% |
| 1983 | 54.0% | +1.1% |
| 1984 | 54.5% | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 55.1% | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 55.8% | +1.2% |
| 1987 | 56.4% | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 56.9% | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 58.2% | +2.4% |
| 1990 | 59.5% | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 60.7% | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 61.9% | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 63.1% | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 64.3% | +1.9% |
| 1995 | 65.5% | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 66.6% | +1.7% |
| 1997 | 67.6% | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 71.5% | +5.8% |
| 1999 | 72.8% | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 74.0% | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 75.1% | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 76.2% | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 77.3% | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 78.4% | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 79.4% | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 79.3% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 80.4% | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 81.5% | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 82.5% | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 84.4% | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 85.3% | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 85.8% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 87.8% | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 88.5% | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 89.6% | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 90.7% | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 91.4% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 92.0% | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 95.1% | +3.4% |
| 2020 | 95.5% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 95.9% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 96.1% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 96.5% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 96.9% | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 50.4% | 49.6% | 51.7% | 5 |
| 1980s | 54.9% | 52.2% | 58.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 65.4% | 59.5% | 72.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 78.4% | 74.0% | 82.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 89.1% | 84.4% | 95.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 96.2% | 95.5% | 96.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near WB: South Asia
More education data for WB: South Asia
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 4.46 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate -1.3 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 74.44 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 3.24 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 5.84 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -2.02 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 152.88 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 77.39 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 160.82 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 4.5 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: South Asia?
- Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes in WB: South Asia was 96.9% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in WB: South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 96.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in WB: South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 49.6% in 1976.
- How does WB: South Asia rank for youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes?
- WB: South Asia ranks 71st out of 204 groups with data for 2024.
- Is youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes rising or falling in WB: South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this WB: South Asia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 50 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release