Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income): Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female was 90.38 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising
Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), 1985–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
In 2019, illiterate population, 25-64 years, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) stood at 90.38 million number. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is up 2.1% on the previous year and up 13.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, illiterate population, 25-64 years, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) peaked at 90.38 million number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 50.24 million number, in 1985.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 14th 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 35 years of available data.
Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 50.24 million number | — |
| 1986 | 51.19 million number | +1.9% |
| 1987 | 51.99 million number | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 52.82 million number | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 53.93 million number | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 54.80 million number | +1.6% |
| 1991 | 55.61 million number | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 56.87 million number | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 57.80 million number | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 58.67 million number | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 59.74 million number | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 60.25 million number | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 60.60 million number | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 61.09 million number | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 61.70 million number | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 64.42 million number | +4.4% |
| 2001 | 64.91 million number | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 66.46 million number | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 67.34 million number | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 68.38 million number | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 70.64 million number | +3.3% |
| 2006 | 68.95 million number | -2.4% |
| 2007 | 75.99 million number | +10.2% |
| 2008 | 77.72 million number | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 79.49 million number | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 80.77 million number | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 80.73 million number | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 80.96 million number | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 82.14 million number | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 82.95 million number | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 84.13 million number | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 85.30 million number | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 87.21 million number | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 88.56 million number | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 90.38 million number | +2.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 52.03 million number | 50.24 million number | 53.93 million number | 5 |
| 1990s | 58.71 million number | 54.80 million number | 61.70 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 70.43 million number | 64.42 million number | 79.49 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 84.31 million number | 80.73 million number | 90.38 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
- 11 Brazil 2.80 million number compare
- 12 Côte d'Ivoire 2.76 million number compare
- 13 Mozambique 2.73 million number compare
- 14 Uganda 2.61 million number compare
- 15 Burkina Faso 2.57 million number compare
- 16 Tanzania, United Republic of 2.46 million number compare
- 17 Algeria 2.43 million number compare
More reference data data for Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
- School life expectancy, primary, both sexes 6.17 years (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 16.21 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 15.80 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 32.02 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 94.2% (2018)
- School life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes 0.7795 years (2019)
- Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, adjusted gender parity 0.7648 GPIA (2018)
- Teachers in primary education, male 2.57 million number (2019)
Frequently asked questions
- What is illiterate population, 25-64 years, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) was 90.38 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest illiterate population, 25-64 years, female recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 90.38 million number in 2019.
- What is the lowest illiterate population, 25-64 years, female recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 50.24 million number in 1985.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) rank for illiterate population, 25-64 years, female?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 14th out of 38 groups with data for 2019.
- Is illiterate population, 25-64 years, female rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total number of females from age 25 to age 64 who cannot both read and write with understanding a short simple statement on their everyday life.