Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: Sadc (unsdcode:98110)
ECA: Sadc (unsdcode:98110): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 44.14 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
44.14 million
Change on year
up 0.6%
Rank
111th
of 203 groups
All-time high
45.39 million
in 2008
All-time low
31.21 million
in 1990
Years of data
36
1989–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: Sadc (unsdcode:98110), 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: Sadc (unsdcode:98110) stood at 44.14 million.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 14.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: Sadc (unsdcode:98110) peaked at 45.39 million in 2008 and was at its lowest, 31.21 million, in 1990.
ECA: Sadc (unsdcode:98110) ranks 111th 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: Sadc (unsdcode:98110), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 31.70 million | — |
| 1990 | 31.21 million | -1.6% |
| 1991 | 32.59 million | +4.5% |
| 1992 | 33.26 million | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 33.66 million | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 34.31 million | +1.9% |
| 1995 | 34.85 million | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 35.14 million | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 35.05 million | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 35.95 million | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 35.91 million | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 36.34 million | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 36.79 million | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 36.49 million | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 37.06 million | +1.6% |
| 2004 | 38.25 million | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 39.13 million | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 42.50 million | +8.6% |
| 2007 | 43.98 million | +3.5% |
| 2008 | 45.39 million | +3.2% |
| 2009 | 45.27 million | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 45.20 million | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 41.19 million | -8.9% |
| 2012 | 38.09 million | -7.5% |
| 2013 | 38.19 million | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 38.51 million | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 39.73 million | +3.2% |
| 2016 | 39.95 million | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 43.05 million | +7.8% |
| 2018 | 42.29 million | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 39.45 million | -6.7% |
| 2020 | 40.29 million | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 43.23 million | +7.3% |
| 2022 | 43.54 million | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 43.88 million | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 44.14 million | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 31.70 million | 31.70 million | 31.70 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 34.19 million | 31.21 million | 35.95 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 40.12 million | 36.34 million | 45.39 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.57 million | 38.09 million | 45.20 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 43.02 million | 40.29 million | 44.14 million | 5 |
More education data for ECA: Sadc (unsdcode:98110)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) -1.67 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) -1.87 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 1.60 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) -1.49 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.71 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 885,632 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 907,932 (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 3.31 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 2.92 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 2.69 % change on previous year (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: Sadc (unsdcode:98110)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: Sadc (unsdcode:98110) was 44.14 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ECA: Sadc (unsdcode:98110)?
- The highest recorded value was 45.39 million in 2008.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ECA: Sadc (unsdcode:98110)?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.21 million in 1990.
- How does ECA: Sadc (unsdcode:98110) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- ECA: Sadc (unsdcode:98110) ranks 111th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in ECA: Sadc (unsdcode:98110)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this ECA: Sadc (unsdcode:98110) 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