Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118)
ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 161.59 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118), 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118) is 161.59 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is up 2.2% on the previous year and up 19.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118) peaked at 161.59 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 90.33 million, in 1990.
ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118) ranks 54th 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: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 91.12 million | — |
| 1990 | 90.33 million | -0.9% |
| 1991 | 92.18 million | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 94.33 million | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 96.12 million | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 97.89 million | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 100.44 million | +2.6% |
| 1996 | 102.25 million | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 103.00 million | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 104.63 million | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 105.92 million | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 107.88 million | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 109.36 million | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 111.00 million | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 113.07 million | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 115.18 million | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 118.21 million | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 126.66 million | +7.2% |
| 2007 | 127.35 million | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 131.00 million | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 132.93 million | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 134.75 million | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 131.66 million | -2.3% |
| 2012 | 131.27 million | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 132.72 million | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 134.84 million | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 137.05 million | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 139.30 million | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 139.58 million | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 141.00 million | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 145.42 million | +3.1% |
| 2020 | 149.39 million | +2.7% |
| 2021 | 152.24 million | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 155.11 million | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 158.16 million | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 161.59 million | +2.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 91.12 million | 91.12 million | 91.12 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 98.71 million | 90.33 million | 105.92 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 119.26 million | 107.88 million | 132.93 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 136.76 million | 131.27 million | 145.42 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 155.30 million | 149.39 million | 161.59 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118)
More education data for ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 4.38 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 3.68 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 23.44 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 3.05 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 16.21 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 2.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.08 million (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 2.06 million (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 3.02 million (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 5.51 % change on previous year (2021)
All data for ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118) was 161.59 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118)?
- The highest recorded value was 161.59 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118)?
- The lowest recorded value was 90.33 million in 1990.
- How does ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118) ranks 54th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this ECA: Least Developed Countries (unsdcode:98118) 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