Sub-Saharan Africa/Afrique subsaharienne/África subsahariana
- Angola
- Benin
- Botswana
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Comoros
- Congo
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Kenya
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mali
- Mauritius
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Rwanda
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Africa
- Swaziland
- Togo
- Uganda
- United Republic of Tanzania
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
| 1985 | 1986 | |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Female | 80781550,1 | 80781550,1 |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Male | 52362439,5 | 52362439,5 |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Total | 133143989,7 | 133143989,7 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Female | 21350387,3 | 21350387,3 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Male | 15062948,8 | 15062948,8 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Total | 36413336,1 | 36413336,1 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Female | 44,6 | 44,6 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Male | 62,6 | 62,6 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Total | 53,3 | 53,3 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Female | 57,8 | 57,8 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Male | 70,0 | 70,0 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Total | 63,6 | 63,6 |
| 1987 | 1988 | |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Female | 80781550,1 | 80781550,1 |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Male | 52362439,5 | 52362439,5 |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Total | 133143989,7 | 133143989,7 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Female | 21350387,3 | 21350387,3 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Male | 15062948,8 | 15062948,8 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Total | 36413336,1 | 36413336,1 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Female | 44,6 | 44,6 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Male | 62,6 | 62,6 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Total | 53,3 | 53,3 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Female | 57,8 | 57,8 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Male | 70,0 | 70,0 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Total | 63,6 | 63,6 |
| 1989 | 1990 | |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Female | 80781550,1 | 80781550,1 |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Male | 52362439,5 | 52362439,5 |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Total | 133143989,7 | 133143989,7 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Female | 21350387,3 | 21350387,3 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Male | 15062948,8 | 15062948,8 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Total | 36413336,1 | 36413336,1 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Female | 44,6 | 44,6 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Male | 62,6 | 62,6 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Total | 53,3 | 53,3 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Female | 57,8 | 57,8 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Male | 70,0 | 70,0 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Total | 63,6 | 63,6 |
| 1991 | 1992 | |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Female | 80781550,1 | 80781550,1 |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Male | 52362439,5 | 52362439,5 |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Total | 133143989,7 | 133143989,7 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Female | 21350387,3 | 21350387,3 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Male | 15062948,8 | 15062948,8 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Total | 36413336,1 | 36413336,1 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Female | 44,6 | 44,6 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Male | 62,6 | 62,6 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Total | 53,3 | 53,3 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Female | 57,8 | 57,8 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Male | 70,0 | 70,0 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Total | 63,6 | 63,6 |
| 1993 | 1994 | |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Female | 80781550,1 | 80781550,1 |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Male | 52362439,5 | 52362439,5 |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Total | 133143989,7 | 133143989,7 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Female | 21350387,3 | 21350387,3 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Male | 15062948,8 | 15062948,8 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Total | 36413336,1 | 36413336,1 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Female | 44,6 | 44,6 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Male | 62,6 | 62,6 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Total | 53,3 | 53,3 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Female | 57,8 | 57,8 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Male | 70,0 | 70,0 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Total | 63,6 | 63,6 |
| 1995 | 1996 | |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Female | 94133409,2 | 94133409,2 |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Male | 57655512,0 | 57655512,0 |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Total | 151788921,2 | 151788921,2 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Female | 24170174,7 | 24170174,7 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Male | 16663472,2 | 16663472,2 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Total | 40833646,8 | 40833646,8 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Female | 50,8 | 50,8 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Male | 68,8 | 68,8 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Total | 59,4 | 59,4 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Female | 64,6 | 64,6 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Male | 75,5 | 75,5 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Total | 69,8 | 69,8 |
| 1997 | 1998 | |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Female | 94133409,2 | 94133409,2 |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Male | 57655512,0 | 57655512,0 |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Total | 151788921,2 | 151788921,2 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Female | 24170174,7 | 24170174,7 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Male | 16663472,2 | 16663472,2 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Total | 40833646,8 | 40833646,8 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Female | 50,8 | 50,8 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Male | 68,8 | 68,8 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Total | 59,4 | 59,4 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Female | 64,6 | 64,6 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Male | 75,5 | 75,5 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Total | 69,8 | 69,8 |
| 1999 | 2000 | |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Female | 94133409,2 | 94133409,2 |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Male | 57655512,0 | 57655512,0 |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Total | 151788921,2 | 151788921,2 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Female | 24170174,7 | 24170174,7 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Male | 16663472,2 | 16663472,2 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Total | 40833646,8 | 40833646,8 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Female | 50,8 | 50,8 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Male | 68,8 | 68,8 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Total | 59,4 | 59,4 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Female | 64,6 | 64,6 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Male | 75,5 | 75,5 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Total | 69,8 | 69,8 |
| 2001 | 2002 | |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Female | 94133409,2 | 94133409,2 |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Male | 57655512,0 | 57655512,0 |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Total | 151788921,2 | 151788921,2 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Female | 24170174,7 | 24170174,7 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Male | 16663472,2 | 16663472,2 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Total | 40833646,8 | 40833646,8 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Female | 50,8 | 50,8 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Male | 68,8 | 68,8 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Total | 59,4 | 59,4 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Female | 64,6 | 64,6 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Male | 75,5 | 75,5 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Total | 69,8 | 69,8 |
| 2003 | 2004 | |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Female | 94133409,2 | 94133409,2 |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Male | 57655512,0 | 57655512,0 |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Total | 151788921,2 | 151788921,2 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Female | 24170174,7 | 24170174,7 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Male | 16663472,2 | 16663472,2 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Total | 40833646,8 | 40833646,8 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Female | 50,8 | 50,8 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Male | 68,8 | 68,8 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Total | 59,4 | 59,4 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Female | 64,6 | 64,6 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Male | 75,5 | 75,5 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Total | 69,8 | 69,8 |
| 2005 | 2006 | |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Female | 100972605,0 | 100972605,0 |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Male | 61370611,6 | 61370611,6 |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Total | 162343216,6 | 162343216,6 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Female | 25485750,8 | 25485750,8 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Male | 17940842,1 | 17940842,1 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Total | 43426593,0 | 43426593,0 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Female | 54,0 | 54,0 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Male | 71,2 | 71,2 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Total | 62,3 | 62,3 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Female | 67,3 | 67,3 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Male | 77,1 | 77,1 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Total | 72,0 | 72,0 |
| 2007 | 2008 | |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Female | 100972605,0 | 100972605,0 |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Male | 61370611,6 | 61370611,6 |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Total | 162343216,6 | 162343216,6 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Female | 25485750,8 | 25485750,8 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Male | 17940842,1 | 17940842,1 |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Total | 43426593,0 | 43426593,0 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Female | 54,0 | 54,0 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Male | 71,2 | 71,2 |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Total | 62,3 | 62,3 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Female | 67,3 | 67,3 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Male | 77,1 | 77,1 |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Total | 72,0 | 72,0 |
| Projected 2015 | ||
| Regional adult illiterate population. Female | 60% | |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Male | … | |
| Regional adult illiterate population. Total | 150824000,0 | |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Female | 53% | |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Male | … | |
| Regional youth illiterate population. Total | 34590000,0 | |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Female | 66,0 | |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Male | 77,0 | |
| Regional adult literacy rate (%). Total | 72,0 | |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Female | 80,0 | |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Male | 83,0 | |
| Regional youth literacy rate (%). Total | 82,0 |
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics
