Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes was 147.21 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising
Latest (2019)
147.21 million number
Change on year
up 2.2%
Rank
12th
of 38 groups
All-time high
147.21 million number
in 2019
All-time low
79.72 million number
in 1984
Years of data
36
1984–2019
Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1984–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 147.21 million number for illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in 2019. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is up 2.2% on the previous year and up 14.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 147.21 million number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 79.72 million number, in 1984.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 12th out of 38 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 79.72 million number | — |
| 1985 | 81.37 million number | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 82.79 million number | +1.7% |
| 1987 | 83.88 million number | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 85.06 million number | +1.4% |
| 1989 | 86.65 million number | +1.9% |
| 1990 | 87.86 million number | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 89.12 million number | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 90.71 million number | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 92.00 million number | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 93.14 million number | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 95.02 million number | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 95.73 million number | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 96.23 million number | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 96.79 million number | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 97.66 million number | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 102.36 million number | +4.8% |
| 2001 | 102.90 million number | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 104.93 million number | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 106.49 million number | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 107.48 million number | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 111.56 million number | +3.8% |
| 2006 | 111.19 million number | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 122.64 million number | +10.3% |
| 2008 | 125.71 million number | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 128.31 million number | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 130.56 million number | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 130.31 million number | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 130.46 million number | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 132.39 million number | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 133.71 million number | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 135.88 million number | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 138.03 million number | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 141.75 million number | +2.7% |
| 2018 | 144.07 million number | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 147.21 million number | +2.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 83.25 million number | 79.72 million number | 86.65 million number | 6 |
| 1990s | 93.43 million number | 87.86 million number | 97.66 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 112.36 million number | 102.36 million number | 128.31 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 136.44 million number | 130.31 million number | 147.21 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 9 Morocco 5.09 million number compare
- 10 Côte d'Ivoire 4.98 million number compare
- 11 Nepal 4.56 million number compare
- 12 Indonesia 4.38 million number compare
- 13 Burkina Faso 4.31 million number compare
- 14 Mali 4.07 million number compare
- 15 Mozambique 3.92 million number compare
More reference data data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry age 16.22 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry age 15.81 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, both sexes 6.17 years (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry age 32.03 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, female 6.02 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, male 6.33 years (2019)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general progr 94.2% (2018)
- School life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes 0.78 years (2019)
- Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, adjusted gender parity i 0.767 GPIA (2018)
- Teachers in primary education, male 2.57 million number (2019)
Frequently asked questions
- What is illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa was 147.21 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 147.21 million number in 2019.
- What is the lowest illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 79.72 million number in 1984.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 12th out of 38 groups with data for 2019.
- Is illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.7%. 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 Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Total number of adults from age 25 to age 64 who cannot both read and write with understanding a short simple statement on their everyday life.