Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102)
ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 85.11 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
85.11 million
Change on year
up 2.2%
Rank
85th
of 203 groups
All-time high
85.11 million
in 2024
All-time low
48.75 million
in 1990
Years of data
36
1989–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102), 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102) recorded 85.11 million for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in 2024. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.2% on the previous year and up 18.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102) peaked at 85.11 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 48.75 million, in 1990.
ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102) ranks 85th of 203 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 49.31 million | — |
| 1990 | 48.75 million | -1.1% |
| 1991 | 49.64 million | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 50.55 million | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 51.45 million | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 52.34 million | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 54.01 million | +3.2% |
| 1996 | 54.78 million | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 54.83 million | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 56.25 million | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 57.08 million | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 58.20 million | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 59.38 million | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 60.91 million | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 62.00 million | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 64.28 million | +3.7% |
| 2005 | 68.07 million | +5.9% |
| 2006 | 72.23 million | +6.1% |
| 2007 | 71.29 million | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 72.94 million | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 74.48 million | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 75.76 million | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 72.52 million | -4.3% |
| 2012 | 70.36 million | -3.0% |
| 2013 | 71.31 million | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 72.03 million | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 73.07 million | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 73.76 million | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 73.75 million | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 75.01 million | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 76.77 million | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 78.50 million | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 80.02 million | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 81.59 million | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 83.26 million | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 85.11 million | +2.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 49.31 million | 49.31 million | 49.31 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 52.97 million | 48.75 million | 57.08 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 66.38 million | 58.20 million | 74.48 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 73.43 million | 70.36 million | 76.77 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 81.70 million | 78.50 million | 85.11 million | 5 |
More education data for ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.98 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.74 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 12.59 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 3.43 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 14.95 million (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 3.58 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 12.51 million (2022)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.9236 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.29 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 41.20 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102) was 85.11 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102)?
- The highest recorded value was 85.11 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102)?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.75 million in 1990.
- How does ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102) ranks 85th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102) 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