Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100)
ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 270.64 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
270.64 million
Change on year
up 1.9%
Rank
29th
of 203 groups
All-time high
270.64 million
in 2024
All-time low
169.73 million
in 1990
Years of data
36
1989–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100), 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100) stood at 270.64 million. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 15.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100) peaked at 270.64 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 169.73 million, in 1990.
That places ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100) 29th out of 203 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 172.31 million | — |
| 1990 | 169.73 million | -1.5% |
| 1991 | 172.76 million | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 175.30 million | +1.5% |
| 1993 | 177.87 million | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 180.18 million | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 183.76 million | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 185.75 million | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 186.58 million | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 188.24 million | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 189.68 million | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 198.35 million | +4.6% |
| 2001 | 199.84 million | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 201.82 million | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 200.79 million | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 202.75 million | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 209.29 million | +3.2% |
| 2006 | 221.72 million | +5.9% |
| 2007 | 227.94 million | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 231.48 million | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 233.88 million | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 236.18 million | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 231.54 million | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 230.01 million | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 230.68 million | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 234.30 million | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 236.54 million | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 243.98 million | +3.1% |
| 2017 | 247.62 million | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 242.26 million | -2.2% |
| 2019 | 244.73 million | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 249.98 million | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 256.78 million | +2.7% |
| 2022 | 261.00 million | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 265.63 million | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 270.64 million | +1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 172.31 million | 172.31 million | 172.31 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 180.98 million | 169.73 million | 189.68 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 212.79 million | 198.35 million | 233.88 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 237.78 million | 230.01 million | 247.62 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 260.81 million | 249.98 million | 270.64 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100)
More education data for ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 2.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 1.42 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 9.98 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 2.62 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 9.24 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.94 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 3.29 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 1.99 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 19.22 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 6.23 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100) was 270.64 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100)?
- The highest recorded value was 270.64 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100)?
- The lowest recorded value was 169.73 million in 1990.
- How does ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100) ranks 29th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this ECA: All Countries (unsdcode:98100) 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