Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)

Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female was 90.40 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
90.40 million number
Change on year
up 2.0%
Rank
12th
of 38 groups
All-time high
90.40 million number
in 2019
All-time low
49.21 million number
in 1984
Years of data
36
1984–2019

Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1984–2019

020.0M40.0M60.0M80.0M100.0M1984200120191984: 49.2M number1985: 50.3M number1986: 51.3M number1987: 52.1M number1988: 52.9M number1989: 54.0M number1990: 54.9M number1991: 55.7M number1992: 56.9M number1993: 57.9M number1994: 58.7M number1995: 59.8M number1996: 60.3M number1997: 60.7M number1998: 61.2M number1999: 61.8M number2000: 64.5M number2001: 65.0M number2002: 66.5M number2003: 67.4M number2004: 68.4M number2005: 70.7M number2006: 69.0M number2007: 76.0M number2008: 77.8M number2009: 79.5M number2010: 80.8M number2011: 80.8M number2012: 81.0M number2013: 82.2M number2014: 83.0M number2015: 84.2M number2016: 85.3M number2017: 87.2M number2018: 88.6M number2019: 90.4M number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

In 2019, illiterate population, 25-64 years, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) stood at 90.40 million number. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.0% 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 (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 90.40 million number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 49.21 million number, in 1984.

Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 12th of 38 groups on this measure, 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, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year

Annual values for Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female (number) in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1984 to 2019.
Year number Change
1984 49.21 million number
1985 50.32 million number +2.2%
1986 51.26 million number +1.9%
1987 52.06 million number +1.6%
1988 52.89 million number +1.6%
1989 54.00 million number +2.1%
1990 54.87 million number +1.6%
1991 55.67 million number +1.5%
1992 56.93 million number +2.3%
1993 57.87 million number +1.6%
1994 58.74 million number +1.5%
1995 59.81 million number +1.8%
1996 60.31 million number +0.8%
1997 60.66 million number +0.6%
1998 61.15 million number +0.8%
1999 61.76 million number +1.0%
2000 64.48 million number +4.4%
2001 64.97 million number +0.8%
2002 66.51 million number +2.4%
2003 67.40 million number +1.3%
2004 68.43 million number +1.5%
2005 70.69 million number +3.3%
2006 69.00 million number -2.4%
2007 76.03 million number +10.2%
2008 77.76 million number +2.3%
2009 79.53 million number +2.3%
2010 80.81 million number +1.6%
2011 80.77 million number -0.1%
2012 81.00 million number +0.3%
2013 82.18 million number +1.5%
2014 82.98 million number +1.0%
2015 84.16 million number +1.4%
2016 85.33 million number +1.4%
2017 87.24 million number +2.2%
2018 88.59 million number +1.5%
2019 90.40 million number +2.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 51.63 million number 49.21 million number 54.00 million number 6
1990s 58.78 million number 54.87 million number 61.76 million number 10
2000s 70.48 million number 64.48 million number 79.53 million number 10
2010s 84.35 million number 80.77 million number 90.40 million number 10

Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)

  1. 9 Nepal 3.36 million number compare
  2. 10 Indonesia 2.93 million number compare
  3. 11 Brazil 2.80 million number compare
  4. 12 Côte d'Ivoire 2.76 million number compare
  5. 13 Mozambique 2.73 million number compare
  6. 14 Uganda 2.61 million number compare
  7. 15 Burkina Faso 2.57 million number compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)

All data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) →

Frequently asked questions

What is illiterate population, 25-64 years, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) was 90.40 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 (IDA & IBRD countries)?
The highest recorded value was 90.40 million number in 2019.
What is the lowest illiterate population, 25-64 years, female recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
The lowest recorded value was 49.21 million number in 1984.
How does Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for illiterate population, 25-64 years, female?
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 12th out of 38 groups with data for 2019.
Is illiterate population, 25-64 years, female rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
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 (IDA & IBRD countries) 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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Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries). Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 25 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/illiterate-population-25-64-years-female-number/sub-saharan-africa-ida-and-ibrd-countries/

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About this data

Indicator
Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
122 places, 2,240 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

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.