Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: Sahel (unsdcode:98124)
ECA: Sahel (unsdcode:98124): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 91.12 million in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
91.12 million
Change on year
up 2.5%
Rank
82nd
of 203 groups
All-time high
91.12 million
in 2021
All-time low
48.14 million
in 1990
Years of data
33
1989–2021
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: Sahel (unsdcode:98124), 1989–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2021, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: Sahel (unsdcode:98124) stood at 91.12 million. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
The figure is up 2.5% on the previous year and up 20.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: Sahel (unsdcode:98124) peaked at 91.12 million in 2021 and was at its lowest, 48.14 million, in 1990.
ECA: Sahel (unsdcode:98124) ranks 82nd of 203 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: Sahel (unsdcode:98124), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 48.85 million | — |
| 1990 | 48.14 million | -1.5% |
| 1991 | 48.80 million | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 49.50 million | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 50.15 million | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 50.65 million | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 51.39 million | +1.5% |
| 1996 | 52.05 million | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 52.53 million | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 52.28 million | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 52.81 million | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 61.13 million | +15.8% |
| 2001 | 61.34 million | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 62.16 million | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 63.32 million | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 63.22 million | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 64.56 million | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 65.46 million | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 71.58 million | +9.3% |
| 2008 | 73.10 million | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 73.46 million | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 74.72 million | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 75.49 million | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 76.89 million | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 77.64 million | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 78.87 million | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 79.70 million | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 81.40 million | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 81.93 million | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 82.99 million | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 86.34 million | +4.0% |
| 2020 | 88.92 million | +3.0% |
| 2021 | 91.12 million | +2.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 48.85 million | 48.85 million | 48.85 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 50.83 million | 48.14 million | 52.81 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 65.93 million | 61.13 million | 73.46 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 79.60 million | 74.72 million | 86.34 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 90.02 million | 88.92 million | 91.12 million | 2 |
More education data for ECA: Sahel (unsdcode:98124)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.3305 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 12.32 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.617 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 11.94 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 1.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.56 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 29.27 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 27.45 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.02 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.0544 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: Sahel (unsdcode:98124)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: Sahel (unsdcode:98124) was 91.12 million in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ECA: Sahel (unsdcode:98124)?
- The highest recorded value was 91.12 million in 2021.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ECA: Sahel (unsdcode:98124)?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.14 million in 1990.
- How does ECA: Sahel (unsdcode:98124) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- ECA: Sahel (unsdcode:98124) ranks 82nd out of 203 groups with data for 2021.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in ECA: Sahel (unsdcode:98124)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this ECA: Sahel (unsdcode:98124) 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