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

South Africa: Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, urban, female was 97.5% in 2017. ▬ Flat

Latest (2017)
97.5%
Change on year
down 1.9%
World rank
27th
of 39 countries
All-time high
99.5%
in 2012
All-time low
97.0%
in 1996
Years of data
8
1996–2017

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

0204060801001996200620171996: 97 %2009: 99 %2010: 99.2 %2011: 99.3 %2012: 99.5 %2014: 99.3 %2015: 99.4 %2017: 97.5 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2017, youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, urban, female in South Africa stood at 97.5%.

The figure is down 1.9% on the previous year and down 1.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, urban, female in South Africa peaked at 99.5% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 97.0%, in 1996.

South Africa ranks 27th of 39 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

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

Annual values for Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, urban, female (%) in South Africa, 1996 to 2017.
Year % Change
1996 97.0%
2009 99.0% +2.0%
2010 99.2% +0.2%
2011 99.3% +0.1%
2012 99.5% +0.3%
2014 99.3% -0.2%
2015 99.4% +0.1%
2017 97.5% -1.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 97.0% 97.0% 97.0% 1
2000s 99.0% 99.0% 99.0% 1
2010s 99.0% 97.5% 99.5% 6

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 24 Iran, Islamic Republic of 98.7% compare
  2. 25 El Salvador 98.6% compare
  3. 26 Cambodia 97.7% compare
  4. 28 Malaysia 97.2% compare
  5. 29 Guatemala 96.5% compare
  6. 30 Morocco 96.2% compare

See the full ranking of 39 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, urban, female in South Africa?
Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, urban, female in South Africa was 97.5% in 2017, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, urban, female recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 99.5% in 2012.
What is the lowest youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, urban, female recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 97.0% in 1996.
How does South Africa rank for youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, urban, female?
South Africa ranks 27th out of 39 countries with data for 2017.
Is youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, urban, female rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
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, urban, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, urban, female in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/youth-literacy-rate-population-15-24-years-urban-female-percent/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, urban, female (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
39 places, 366 data points, 1976–2019
Last refreshed

Number of females age 15 to 24 years in urban 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/