Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, rural, female in South Africa

South Africa: Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, rural, female was 95.9% in 2017. ▲ Rising

Latest (2017)
95.9%
Change on year
down 3.1%
World rank
25th
of 36 countries
All-time high
99.0%
in 2011
All-time low
91.4%
in 1996
Years of data
8
1996–2017

Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, rural, female in South Africa, 1996–2017

0204060801001996200620171996: 91.4 %2009: 98.6 %2010: 98.5 %2011: 99 %2012: 98.9 %2014: 98.7 %2015: 99 %2017: 95.9 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2017, youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, rural, female in South Africa stood at 95.9%.

That represents a change of down 3.1% on the previous year and down 2.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, rural, female in South Africa peaked at 99.0% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 91.4%, in 1996.

South Africa ranks 25th of 36 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, rural, female in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, rural, female (%) in South Africa, 1996 to 2017.
Year % Change
1996 91.4%
2009 98.6% +7.9%
2010 98.5% -0.1%
2011 99.0% +0.5%
2012 98.9% -0.1%
2014 98.7% -0.2%
2015 99.0% +0.2%
2017 95.9% -3.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 91.4% 91.4% 91.4% 1
2000s 98.6% 98.6% 98.6% 1
2010s 98.3% 95.9% 99.0% 6

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 22 Honduras 96.8% compare
  2. 23 Malaysia 96.3% compare
  3. 24 Bangladesh 96.1% compare
  4. 26 Iran, Islamic Republic of 95.9% compare
  5. 27 Cambodia 91.0% compare
  6. 28 Guatemala 90.4% compare

See the full ranking of 36 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, rural, female in South Africa?
Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, rural, female in South Africa was 95.9% in 2017, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, rural, female recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 99.0% in 2011.
What is the lowest youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, rural, female recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 91.4% in 1996.
How does South Africa rank for youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, rural, female?
South Africa ranks 25th out of 36 countries with data for 2017.
Is youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, rural, female rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, rural, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, rural, female in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 09 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/youth-literacy-rate-population-15-24-years-rural-female-percent/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, rural, female (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
36 places, 331 data points, 1976–2019
Last refreshed

Number of females age 15 to 24 years in rural areas who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement on their everyday life, divided by the female population in that age group. Generally, ‘literacy’ also encompasses ‘numeracy’, the ability to make simple arithmetic calculations. Divide the number of people aged 15 to 24 years who are literate by the total population in the same age group and multiply the result by 100. For more information, consult the UNESCO Institute of Statistics website: http://www.uis.unesco.org/Education/