What is the difference in adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes between Indonesia and Sub-Saharan Africa?

212.09 million number, with Sub-Saharan Africa ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for Indonesia and Sub-Saharan Africa?

10 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2018.

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.

Indonesia vs Sub-Saharan Africa: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes

Indonesia

8.53 million number

in 2018

Sub-Saharan Africa

220.62 million number

in 2019

Indonesia rank

10th

Sub-Saharan Africa rank

13th

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

Indonesia
Sub-Saharan Africa

How they compare

Sub-Saharan Africa currently reports 220.62 million number against 8.53 million number in Indonesia, a difference of 212.09 million number.

That makes Sub-Saharan Africa's figure about 25.9 times Indonesia's.

Across all 10 years both countries report, Sub-Saharan Africa has been ahead every year.

Indonesia ranks 10th and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 13th of 87 countries.

Sub-Saharan Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Indonesia	Sub-Saharan Africa	Difference	Ahead
1990s	21.19 million number	133.75 million number	112.56 million number	Sub-Saharan Africa
2000s	13.35 million number	184.46 million number	171.11 million number	Sub-Saharan Africa
2010s	9.57 million number	206.76 million number	197.19 million number	Sub-Saharan Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes, Indonesia or Sub-Saharan Africa?: Sub-Saharan Africa, at 220.62 million number against 8.53 million number in Indonesia as of 2019.
What is the difference in adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes between Indonesia and Sub-Saharan Africa?: 212.09 million number, with Sub-Saharan Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Indonesia and Sub-Saharan Africa?: 10 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2018.
How do Indonesia and Sub-Saharan Africa rank globally for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?: Indonesia ranks 10th and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 13th 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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Indonesia vs Sub-Saharan Africa: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/adult-illiterate-population-15-years-both-sexes-number/indonesia/sub-saharan-africa/

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<a href="https://education.statizoid.com/compare/adult-illiterate-population-15-years-both-sexes-number/indonesia/sub-saharan-africa/">Indonesia vs Sub-Saharan Africa: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes</a> — Statizoid

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: 04 September 2026

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