Bangladesh vs Iran: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, urban, both sexes

Bangladesh
12.62 million
in 2022
Iran
4.91 million
in 2016
Bangladesh rank
2nd
Iran rank
4th

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

  • Bangladesh
  • Iran
4.0M6.0M8.0M10.0M12.0M199120062022

How they compare

Bangladesh currently reports 12.62 million against 4.91 million in Iran, a difference of 7.72 million.

That makes Bangladesh's figure about 2.6 times Iran's.

Across all 6 years both countries report, Bangladesh has been ahead every year.

Bangladesh ranks 2nd and Iran ranks 4th of 40 countries.

Bangladesh has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Bangladesh Iran Difference Ahead
1990s 6.31 million 4.66 million 1.66 million Bangladesh
2010s 9.15 million 5.08 million 4.07 million Bangladesh

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher adult illiterate population, 15+ years, urban, both sexes, Bangladesh or Iran?
Bangladesh, at 12.62 million against 4.91 million in Iran as of 2022.
What is the difference in adult illiterate population, 15+ years, urban, both sexes between Bangladesh and Iran?
7.72 million, with Bangladesh ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Bangladesh and Iran?
6 years are reported by both, from 1991 to 2016.
How do Bangladesh and Iran rank globally for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, urban, both sexes?
Bangladesh ranks 2nd and Iran ranks 4th of 40 countries.
Where does this data come from?
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, urban, both sexes (number). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Bangladesh vs Iran: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, urban, both sexes. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/adult-illiterate-population-15-years-urban-both-sexes-number/bangladesh/iran-islamic-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, urban, both sexes (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
40 places, 374 data points, 1990–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release