Illiterate population, 25-64 years, % female in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa: Illiterate population, 25-64 years, % female was 61.4% in 2019. ▬ Flat

Latest (2019)
61.4%
Change on year
down 0.1%
Rank
22nd
of 38 groups
All-time high
63.7%
in 2004
All-time low
61.4%
in 2019
Years of data
36
1984–2019

Illiterate population, 25-64 years, % female in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1984–2019

02040601984200120191984: 61.71985: 61.81986: 61.91987: 62.11988: 62.21989: 62.31990: 62.51991: 62.51992: 62.81993: 62.91994: 63.11995: 62.91996: 631997: 631998: 63.21999: 63.22000: 632001: 63.12002: 63.42003: 63.32004: 63.72005: 63.42006: 62.12007: 622008: 61.92009: 622010: 61.92011: 622012: 62.12013: 62.12014: 62.12015: 61.92016: 61.82017: 61.52018: 61.52019: 61.4

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

In 2019, illiterate population, 25-64 years, % female in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 61.4%. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.

The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, illiterate population, 25-64 years, % female in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 63.7% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 61.4%, in 2019.

Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 22nd of 38 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 62.0% 61.7% 62.3% 6
1990s 62.9% 62.5% 63.2% 10
2000s 62.8% 61.9% 63.7% 10
2010s 61.8% 61.4% 62.1% 10

Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa

  1. 19 Lao People’s Democratic Republic 67.2% compare
  2. 20 Indonesia 67.0% compare
  3. 21 Uganda 66.9% compare
  4. 22 Zambia 66.9% compare
  5. 23 Pakistan 66.1% compare
  6. 24 Montenegro 65.5% compare
  7. 25 India 64.9% compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for Sub-Saharan Africa

All data for Sub-Saharan Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is illiterate population, 25-64 years, % female in Sub-Saharan Africa?
Illiterate population, 25-64 years, % female in Sub-Saharan Africa was 61.4% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest illiterate population, 25-64 years, % female recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
The highest recorded value was 63.7% in 2004.
What is the lowest illiterate population, 25-64 years, % female recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 61.4% in 2019.
How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for illiterate population, 25-64 years, % female?
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 22nd out of 38 groups with data for 2019.
Is illiterate population, 25-64 years, % female rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 0.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
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, % female. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Illiterate population, 25-64 years, % female in Sub-Saharan Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 22 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/illiterate-population-25-64-years-percent-female/sub-saharan-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Illiterate population, 25-64 years, % female
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
122 places, 2,239 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Share of the adult illiterate population (age 25-64) that is female.