South Africa vs Turkey: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, urban, both sexes
South Africa
1.84 million
in 2024
Turkey
1.97 million
in 2015
South Africa rank
9th
Turkey rank
8th
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, urban, both sexes over time
- South Africa
- Turkey
How they compare
Turkey currently reports 1.97 million against 1.84 million in South Africa, a difference of 128,770.
That makes Turkey's figure about 1.1 times South Africa's.
Across all 6 years both countries report, Turkey has been ahead every year.
South Africa ranks 9th and Turkey ranks 8th of 40 countries.
Turkey has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Turkey | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 857,779 | 2.78 million | 1.92 million | Turkey |
| 2010s | 806,425 | 1.84 million | 1.04 million | Turkey |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher adult illiterate population, 15+ years, urban, both sexes, South Africa or Turkey?
- Turkey, at 1.97 million against 1.84 million in South Africa as of 2015.
- What is the difference in adult illiterate population, 15+ years, urban, both sexes between South Africa and Turkey?
- 128,770, with Turkey ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Turkey?
- 6 years are reported by both, from 2009 to 2015.
- How do South Africa and Turkey rank globally for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, urban, both sexes?
- South Africa ranks 9th and Turkey ranks 8th 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.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release