Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ALECSO: Least Developed Countries
ALECSO: Least Developed Countries: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 22.66 million in 2018. ▲ Rising
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ALECSO: Least Developed Countries, 1991–2018
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
ALECSO: Least Developed Countries recorded 22.66 million for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in 2018. That is the highest value across all 27 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.9% on the previous year and up 25.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ALECSO: Least Developed Countries peaked at 22.66 million in 2018 and was at its lowest, 12.58 million, in 1992.
That places ALECSO: Least Developed Countries 138th out of 203 groups with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ALECSO: Least Developed Countries, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 12.64 million | — |
| 1992 | 12.58 million | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 12.69 million | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 13.05 million | +2.8% |
| 1995 | 13.29 million | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 13.43 million | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 13.47 million | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 13.59 million | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 13.70 million | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 13.81 million | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 13.90 million | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 13.99 million | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 14.05 million | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 14.08 million | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 14.30 million | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 17.38 million | +21.5% |
| 2007 | 17.72 million | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 18.11 million | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 18.63 million | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 19.06 million | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 19.40 million | +1.8% |
| 2012 | 19.63 million | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 20.02 million | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 20.97 million | +4.8% |
| 2016 | 21.47 million | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 22.03 million | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 22.66 million | +2.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 13.16 million | 12.58 million | 13.70 million | 9 |
| 2000s | 15.60 million | 13.81 million | 18.63 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.66 million | 19.06 million | 22.66 million | 8 |
More education data for ALECSO: Least Developed Countries
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 633,128 (2020)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 378,880 (2020)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 226,596 (2020)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 2.63 % change on previous year (2016)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 13.6 % change on previous year (2020)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.75 million (2020)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 11.6 % change on previous year (2020)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.25 million (2020)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 2.84 % change on previous year (2020)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 1.01 million (2016)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ALECSO: Least Developed Countries?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ALECSO: Least Developed Countries was 22.66 million in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ALECSO: Least Developed Countries?
- The highest recorded value was 22.66 million in 2018.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ALECSO: Least Developed Countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.58 million in 1992.
- How does ALECSO: Least Developed Countries rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- ALECSO: Least Developed Countries ranks 138th out of 203 groups with data for 2018.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in ALECSO: Least Developed Countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this ALECSO: Least Developed Countries 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.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release