Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Asean (asean) (unsdcode:98406)
ESCAP: Asean (asean) (unsdcode:98406): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 21.23 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Asean (asean) (unsdcode:98406), 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Asean (asean) (unsdcode:98406) stood at 21.23 million. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.3% on the previous year and down 21.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Asean (asean) (unsdcode:98406) peaked at 43.61 million in 1989 and was at its lowest, 21.23 million, in 2024.
That places ESCAP: Asean (asean) (unsdcode:98406) 141st out of 203 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Asean (asean) (unsdcode:98406), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 43.61 million | — |
| 1990 | 42.21 million | -3.2% |
| 1991 | 42.03 million | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 41.82 million | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 41.84 million | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 40.73 million | -2.6% |
| 1995 | 39.60 million | -2.8% |
| 1996 | 39.15 million | -1.1% |
| 1997 | 38.73 million | -1.1% |
| 1998 | 38.35 million | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 38.47 million | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 37.59 million | -2.3% |
| 2001 | 37.15 million | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 36.61 million | -1.4% |
| 2003 | 36.08 million | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 35.69 million | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 35.07 million | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 33.96 million | -3.2% |
| 2007 | 31.49 million | -7.3% |
| 2008 | 30.06 million | -4.5% |
| 2009 | 28.80 million | -4.2% |
| 2010 | 30.98 million | +7.6% |
| 2011 | 30.36 million | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 29.54 million | -2.7% |
| 2013 | 31.03 million | +5.0% |
| 2014 | 27.03 million | -12.9% |
| 2015 | 26.14 million | -3.3% |
| 2016 | 25.22 million | -3.5% |
| 2017 | 24.60 million | -2.5% |
| 2018 | 26.06 million | +5.9% |
| 2019 | 25.47 million | -2.3% |
| 2020 | 23.58 million | -7.4% |
| 2021 | 22.98 million | -2.5% |
| 2022 | 22.27 million | -3.1% |
| 2023 | 21.74 million | -2.3% |
| 2024 | 21.23 million | -2.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 43.61 million | 43.61 million | 43.61 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 40.29 million | 38.35 million | 42.21 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 34.25 million | 28.80 million | 37.59 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.64 million | 24.60 million | 31.03 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.36 million | 21.23 million | 23.58 million | 5 |
More education data for ESCAP: Asean (asean) (unsdcode:98406)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.0787 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 67.24 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -0.0449 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 32.35 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.71 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.0275 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 30.73 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 34.89 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 3.27 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.9066 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Asean (asean) (unsdcode:98406)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Asean (asean) (unsdcode:98406) was 21.23 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ESCAP: Asean (asean) (unsdcode:98406)?
- The highest recorded value was 43.61 million in 1989.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ESCAP: Asean (asean) (unsdcode:98406)?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.23 million in 2024.
- How does ESCAP: Asean (asean) (unsdcode:98406) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- ESCAP: Asean (asean) (unsdcode:98406) ranks 141st out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in ESCAP: Asean (asean) (unsdcode:98406)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this ESCAP: Asean (asean) (unsdcode:98406) 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