Gambia, The Youth Literacy Rate
Literacy rate among youth ages 15-24 SE.ADT.1524.LT.ZS
Gambia, The's youth literacy rate was 67.49% in 2021, ranked 43rd globally. This represents a 5.1% decrease from 2020. Data from World Bank, covering 2000–2021.
Overview
Gambia, The's youth literacy rate stood at 67.49% in 2021, a decline of +3.59pp from 2018. Gambia, The ranked 43rd globally.
Gambia’s youth literacy rate rose from a trough of 52.56 % in 2000 to an all‑time peak of 72.62 % in 2013, before slipping slightly to 67.49 % in 2021, placing the country 43rd globally. The 2021 figure remains above the 2000 baseline yet trails the 2013 high, suggesting that recent progress has stalled despite earlier gains from expanded primary education programmes. Compared with regional peers, Gambia’s rate is marginally lower than Côte d’Ivoire’s 66.84 % and considerably below Nigeria’s 73.67 % and Pakistan’s 73.13 % for the same year, highlighting a persistent gap with higher‑performing neighbours. The five‑year coverage of the data limits insight into short‑term fluctuations, but the downward movement after 2013 indicates that sustaining the earlier momentum will require targeted interventions, such as increased investment in teacher training and school infrastructure, to reverse the recent decline and push the rate upward in the coming years.
Data & projection
| Year | Youth Literacy Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 67.49% | −3.59pp | #43 |
| 2018 | 71.08% | +3.92pp | #50 |
| 2015 | 67.16% | −5.46pp | #44 |
| 2013 | 72.62% | +20.06pp | #35 |
| 2000 | 52.56% | – | #52 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Gambia, The matched the Orthodox Tightening Cycle pattern in 2023. Historically, 57% of countries showing this pattern (177 out of 311) saw youth literacy rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Gambia, The's youth literacy rate was 67.49% in 2021. Ranked 43rd globally. This represents a 5.1% decrease from the previous year.
Gambia, The's youth literacy rate peaked at 72.62% in 2013.
The lowest youth literacy rate in Gambia, The was 52.56% in 2000.
Gambia, The ranks 43rd globally in youth literacy rate as of 2021.
The World Bank indicator code is SE.ADT.1524.LT.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
The youth literacy rate of Gambia, The in 2021 was 67.49%. This ranks 43rd in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_gambia-the_youth-literacy-rate,
title = {Gambia, The Youth Literacy Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/gambia-the/youth-literacy-rate/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}