South Africa vs Sub-Saharan Africa: Illiterate population, 25-64 years, male

South Africa
1.65 million number
in 2017
Sub-Saharan Africa
56.81 million number
in 2019
South Africa rank
11th
Sub-Saharan Africa rank
13th

Illiterate population, 25-64 years, male over time

  • South Africa
  • Sub-Saharan Africa
020.0M40.0M60.0M198019992019

How they compare

Sub-Saharan Africa currently reports 56.81 million number against 1.65 million number in South Africa, a difference of 55.16 million number.

That makes Sub-Saharan Africa's figure about 34.5 times South Africa's.

Across all 9 years both countries report, Sub-Saharan Africa has been ahead every year.

South Africa ranks 11th and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 13th of 83 countries.

Sub-Saharan Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade South Africa Sub-Saharan Africa Difference Ahead
1990s 1.43 million number 35.42 million number 33.99 million number Sub-Saharan Africa
2000s 841,358 number 47.69 million number 46.85 million number Sub-Saharan Africa
2010s 804,471 number 50.95 million number 50.15 million number Sub-Saharan Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher illiterate population, 25-64 years, male, South Africa or Sub-Saharan Africa?
Sub-Saharan Africa, at 56.81 million number against 1.65 million number in South Africa as of 2019.
What is the difference in illiterate population, 25-64 years, male between South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa?
55.16 million number, with Sub-Saharan Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa?
9 years are reported by both, from 1996 to 2017.
How do South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa rank globally for illiterate population, 25-64 years, male?
South Africa ranks 11th and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 13th of 83 countries.
Where does this data come from?
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Illiterate population, 25-64 years, male (number). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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South Africa vs Sub-Saharan Africa: Illiterate population, 25-64 years, male. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/illiterate-population-25-64-years-male-number/south-africa/sub-saharan-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Illiterate population, 25-64 years, male (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
122 places, 2,243 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Total number of males from age 25 to age 64 who cannot both read and write with understanding a short simple statement on their everyday life.