Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECE: All Countries (unsdcode:98200)
ECE: All Countries (unsdcode:98200): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 13.59 million in 2023. ▼ Falling
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECE: All Countries (unsdcode:98200), 2001–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
ECE: All Countries (unsdcode:98200) recorded 13.59 million for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 15 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 14.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECE: All Countries (unsdcode:98200) peaked at 26.38 million in 2001 and was at its lowest, 13.59 million, in 2023.
That places ECE: All Countries (unsdcode:98200) 155th out of 203 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 15 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECE: All Countries (unsdcode:98200), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 26.38 million | — |
| 2002 | 25.39 million | -3.7% |
| 2003 | 24.92 million | -1.8% |
| 2004 | 24.49 million | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 23.79 million | -2.9% |
| 2006 | 23.53 million | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 23.09 million | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 22.33 million | -3.3% |
| 2017 | 15.94 million | -28.6% |
| 2018 | 15.33 million | -3.8% |
| 2019 | 14.89 million | -2.9% |
| 2020 | 14.67 million | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 13.65 million | -7.0% |
| 2022 | 13.63 million | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 13.59 million | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 24.24 million | 22.33 million | 26.38 million | 8 |
| 2010s | 15.39 million | 14.89 million | 15.94 million | 3 |
| 2020s | 13.89 million | 13.59 million | 14.67 million | 4 |
More education data for ECE: All Countries (unsdcode:98200)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 1.66 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 2.06 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 29.36 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.33 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 34.83 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 794,026 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 4.85 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 64.18 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.67 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 58.14 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECE: All Countries (unsdcode:98200)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ECE: All Countries (unsdcode:98200) was 13.59 million in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ECE: All Countries (unsdcode:98200)?
- The highest recorded value was 26.38 million in 2001.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ECE: All Countries (unsdcode:98200)?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.59 million in 2023.
- How does ECE: All Countries (unsdcode:98200) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- ECE: All Countries (unsdcode:98200) ranks 155th out of 203 groups with data for 2023.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in ECE: All Countries (unsdcode:98200)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this ECE: All Countries (unsdcode:98200) 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