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

Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): Illiterate population, 25-64 years, male was 56.81 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
56.81 million number
Change on year
up 2.4%
Rank
12th
of 38 groups
All-time high
56.81 million number
in 2019
All-time low
30.50 million number
in 1984
Years of data
36
1984–2019

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

020.0M40.0M60.0M1984200120191984: 30.5M number1985: 31.0M number1986: 31.5M number1987: 31.8M number1988: 32.2M number1989: 32.6M number1990: 33.0M number1991: 33.4M number1992: 33.8M number1993: 34.1M number1994: 34.4M number1995: 35.2M number1996: 35.4M number1997: 35.6M number1998: 35.6M number1999: 35.9M number2000: 37.9M number2001: 37.9M number2002: 38.4M number2003: 39.1M number2004: 39.0M number2005: 40.9M number2006: 42.2M number2007: 46.6M number2008: 47.9M number2009: 48.8M number2010: 49.7M number2011: 49.5M number2012: 49.5M number2013: 50.2M number2014: 50.7M number2015: 51.7M number2016: 52.7M number2017: 54.5M number2018: 55.5M number2019: 56.8M number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

The most recent figure for illiterate population, 25-64 years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) is 56.81 million number, measured in 2019. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.

The figure is up 2.4% on the previous year and up 16.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, illiterate population, 25-64 years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 56.81 million number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 30.50 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, male in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year

Annual values for Illiterate population, 25-64 years, male (number) in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1984 to 2019.
Year number Change
1984 30.50 million number
1985 31.05 million number +1.8%
1986 31.53 million number +1.5%
1987 31.82 million number +0.9%
1988 32.17 million number +1.1%
1989 32.65 million number +1.5%
1990 32.99 million number +1.0%
1991 33.45 million number +1.4%
1992 33.77 million number +1.0%
1993 34.14 million number +1.1%
1994 34.40 million number +0.8%
1995 35.21 million number +2.4%
1996 35.42 million number +0.6%
1997 35.56 million number +0.4%
1998 35.63 million number +0.2%
1999 35.90 million number +0.8%
2000 37.88 million number +5.5%
2001 37.93 million number +0.1%
2002 38.41 million number +1.3%
2003 39.09 million number +1.8%
2004 39.04 million number -0.1%
2005 40.87 million number +4.7%
2006 42.20 million number +3.3%
2007 46.61 million number +10.5%
2008 47.95 million number +2.9%
2009 48.77 million number +1.7%
2010 49.75 million number +2.0%
2011 49.55 million number -0.4%
2012 49.46 million number -0.2%
2013 50.21 million number +1.5%
2014 50.73 million number +1.0%
2015 51.72 million number +1.9%
2016 52.70 million number +1.9%
2017 54.51 million number +3.4%
2018 55.49 million number +1.8%
2019 56.81 million number +2.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 31.62 million number 30.50 million number 32.65 million number 6
1990s 34.65 million number 32.99 million number 35.90 million number 10
2000s 41.88 million number 37.88 million number 48.77 million number 10
2010s 52.09 million number 49.46 million number 56.81 million number 10

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

  1. 9 Burkina Faso 1.75 million number compare
  2. 10 Iran, Islamic Republic of 1.70 million number compare
  3. 11 South Africa 1.65 million number compare
  4. 12 Mali 1.63 million number compare
  5. 13 Chad 1.53 million number compare
  6. 14 Morocco 1.51 million number compare
  7. 15 Indonesia 1.45 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, male in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Illiterate population, 25-64 years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) was 56.81 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest illiterate population, 25-64 years, male recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
The highest recorded value was 56.81 million number in 2019.
What is the lowest illiterate population, 25-64 years, male recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
The lowest recorded value was 30.50 million number in 1984.
How does Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for illiterate population, 25-64 years, male?
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 12th out of 38 groups with data for 2019.
Is illiterate population, 25-64 years, male rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Over the last ten years it is up 16.5%. 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, male (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Illiterate population, 25-64 years, male in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries). Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 27 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/illiterate-population-25-64-years-male-number/sub-saharan-africa-ida-and-ibrd-countries/

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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.