International definition

Literacy rate of 15–24 year-olds, or the youth literacy rate, is the percentage of the population aged 15–24 years who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement in everyday life.

Process of obtaining data

Data are gathered through questionnaires sent annually to countries. The primary respondent is the national statistical office.

National sources used by UNESCO-UIS

Population censuses and household surveys.

Consultation with countries

UNESCO-UIS interacts with countries during data collection cycle as well as through post processing follow-up as necessary.

Adjustments

UNESCO-UIS, if necessary, adjusts nationally reported in order to take account of the categories "age unknown" and the "non-specified" literacy status. The data of literate and illiterate are used to derivate the literacy rate, and the "not specified" is removed from the total, so that the percentage of literacy rate and illiteracy rate add up to 100. The same procedure is applied to "age unknown": this category is removed from the total population in the calculation of literacy rate for 15-24 year-olds.

Explanation of most common discrepancies between national and international coverage estimates

1) Use of different sources.

2) Use of the Global Age-specific Literacy Projections Model (GALP) by UNESCO-UIS.

Comparison of national and international data

National data Data available at UIS

Year / Data / Data source / Discrepancies? Causes? / Data source / Data / Year
1990 / 97.4 / 1990
1991 / 97.5 / 1991
1992 / 97.7 / 1992
1993 / 97.8 / 1993
1994 / 97.9 / 1994
1995 / 98.0 / 1995
1996 / 98.2 / 1996
1997 / 98.3 / 1997
1998 / 98.4 / 1998
1999 / 98.6 / 1999
2000 / 98.7 / 2000
2001 / 98.8 / 2001
2002 / 98.9 / 2002
2003 / 98.9 / Slight discrepancy / Survey / 99.1 / 2003
2004 / 99.0 / 2004
2005 / 99.0 / No discrepancy in value / Survey / 99.0 / 2005
2006 / 99.1 / 2006
2007 / 99.1 / 2007
2008 / 99.0 / 2008


National definition

Data sources used at international level

-  Surveys 2002, 2004

Other data on file at UIS but not taken into account for MDG monitoring

Data source / Reason for exclusion for MDG monitoring

Data used at national level but not yet included in the MDG monitoring by UIS

-  Annual data 1990 to 2008

How to submit missing or new survey or census data for international monitoring to UIS?

Data from new nationally representative household surveys and censuses, as well as from nationally representative surveys not listed in this document can be send to: Mr. Talal El Hourani, UNESCO-UIS, e-mail: .

If there are any errors on this document, thank you for returning a corrected copy of this file by email to: and

UNSD and ESCWA meeting, Beirut, December 2009