Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in AIMS: East Asia and the Pacific
AIMS: East Asia and the Pacific: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 65.46 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in AIMS: East Asia and the Pacific, 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
AIMS: East Asia and the Pacific recorded 65.46 million for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.0% on the previous year and down 26.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in AIMS: East Asia and the Pacific peaked at 247.93 million in 1989 and was at its lowest, 65.46 million, in 2024.
AIMS: East Asia and the Pacific ranks 93rd of 203 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in AIMS: East Asia and the Pacific, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 247.93 million | — |
| 1990 | 240.52 million | -3.0% |
| 1991 | 237.81 million | -1.1% |
| 1992 | 234.98 million | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 232.39 million | -1.1% |
| 1994 | 228.34 million | -1.7% |
| 1995 | 224.22 million | -1.8% |
| 1996 | 221.02 million | -1.4% |
| 1997 | 153.40 million | -30.6% |
| 1998 | 150.82 million | -1.7% |
| 1999 | 148.30 million | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 145.10 million | -2.2% |
| 2001 | 142.62 million | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 139.58 million | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 136.22 million | -2.4% |
| 2004 | 133.06 million | -2.3% |
| 2005 | 129.70 million | -2.5% |
| 2006 | 126.12 million | -2.8% |
| 2007 | 108.75 million | -13.8% |
| 2008 | 104.87 million | -3.6% |
| 2009 | 101.40 million | -3.3% |
| 2010 | 102.69 million | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 99.88 million | -2.7% |
| 2012 | 96.56 million | -3.3% |
| 2013 | 96.15 million | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 88.40 million | -8.1% |
| 2015 | 85.39 million | -3.4% |
| 2016 | 82.42 million | -3.5% |
| 2017 | 79.59 million | -3.4% |
| 2018 | 79.37 million | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 77.25 million | -2.7% |
| 2020 | 73.75 million | -4.5% |
| 2021 | 71.64 million | -2.9% |
| 2022 | 69.40 million | -3.1% |
| 2023 | 67.47 million | -2.8% |
| 2024 | 65.46 million | -3.0% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in AIMS: East Asia and the Pacific changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | -30.6% | 221.02 million | 153.40 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 247.93 million | 247.93 million | 247.93 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 207.18 million | 148.30 million | 240.52 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 126.74 million | 101.40 million | 145.10 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 88.77 million | 77.25 million | 102.69 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 69.54 million | 65.46 million | 73.75 million | 5 |
More education data for AIMS: East Asia and the Pacific
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 47.14 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 82.57 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 91.04 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.54 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 2.09 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 45.71 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.4 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 1.74 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 8.15 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in AIMS: East Asia and the Pacific?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in AIMS: East Asia and the Pacific was 65.46 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in AIMS: East Asia and the Pacific?
- The highest recorded value was 247.93 million in 1989.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in AIMS: East Asia and the Pacific?
- The lowest recorded value was 65.46 million in 2024.
- How does AIMS: East Asia and the Pacific rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- AIMS: East Asia and the Pacific ranks 93rd out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in AIMS: East Asia and the Pacific?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this AIMS: East Asia and the Pacific data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release