China vs Low & middle income: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes

China
37.04 million number
in 2018
Low & middle income
738.95 million number
in 2019
China rank
4th
Low & middle income rank
3rd

Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes over time

  • China
  • Low & middle income
0200.0M400.0M600.0M800.0M197519972019

How they compare

Low & middle income currently reports 738.95 million number against 37.04 million number in China, a difference of 701.91 million number.

That makes Low & middle income's figure about 20.0 times China's.

Across all 5 years both countries report, Low & middle income has been ahead every year.

China ranks 4th and Low & middle income ranks 3rd of 87 countries.

Low & middle income has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade China Low & middle income Difference Ahead
1980s 235.00 million number 846.57 million number 611.58 million number Low & middle income
1990s 186.79 million number 852.72 million number 665.93 million number Low & middle income
2000s 88.20 million number 771.52 million number 683.32 million number Low & middle income
2010s 45.58 million number 752.35 million number 706.77 million number Low & middle income

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes, China or Low & middle income?
Low & middle income, at 738.95 million number against 37.04 million number in China as of 2019.
What is the difference in adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes between China and Low & middle income?
701.91 million number, with Low & middle income ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and Low & middle income?
5 years are reported by both, from 1982 to 2018.
How do China and Low & middle income rank globally for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
China ranks 4th and Low & middle income ranks 3rd of 87 countries.
Where does this data come from?
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes (number). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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China vs Low & middle income: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/adult-illiterate-population-15-years-both-sexes-number/china/low-and-middle-income/

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About this data

Indicator
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
126 places, 2,267 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Total number of adults over age 15 who cannot both read and write with understanding a short simple statement on their everyday life.