Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Countries With Special Needs (csn) (unsdcode:98434)
ESCAP: Countries With Special Needs (csn) (unsdcode:98434): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 55.36 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Countries With Special Needs (csn) (unsdcode:98434), 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Countries With Special Needs (csn) (unsdcode:98434) stood at 55.36 million. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 22.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Countries With Special Needs (csn) (unsdcode:98434) peaked at 77.42 million in 2012 and was at its lowest, 55.36 million, in 2024.
That places ESCAP: Countries With Special Needs (csn) (unsdcode:98434) 103rd 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: Countries With Special Needs (csn) (unsdcode:98434), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 63.68 million | — |
| 1990 | 63.05 million | -1.0% |
| 1991 | 63.97 million | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 64.97 million | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 66.49 million | +2.3% |
| 1994 | 66.98 million | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 67.20 million | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 68.11 million | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 69.13 million | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 66.31 million | -4.1% |
| 1999 | 66.74 million | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 67.36 million | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 67.85 million | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 68.14 million | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 68.51 million | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 68.78 million | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 68.85 million | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 75.91 million | +10.3% |
| 2007 | 76.14 million | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 76.14 million | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 76.66 million | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 68.24 million | -11.0% |
| 2011 | 68.37 million | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 77.42 million | +13.3% |
| 2013 | 71.85 million | -7.2% |
| 2014 | 71.42 million | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 64.15 million | -10.2% |
| 2016 | 56.74 million | -11.5% |
| 2017 | 56.76 million | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 57.93 million | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 57.33 million | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 57.50 million | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 56.64 million | -1.5% |
| 2022 | 55.74 million | -1.6% |
| 2023 | 55.47 million | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 55.36 million | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 63.68 million | 63.68 million | 63.68 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 66.30 million | 63.05 million | 69.13 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 71.43 million | 67.36 million | 76.66 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 65.02 million | 56.74 million | 77.42 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 56.14 million | 55.36 million | 57.50 million | 5 |
More education data for ESCAP: Countries With Special Needs (csn) (unsdcode:98434)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 9.87 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 40.76 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.1447 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.65 million (2020)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.09 million (2020)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 1.22 % change on previous year (2020)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 10.75 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 10.93 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.4483 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 20.66 million (2024)
All data for ESCAP: Countries With Special Needs (csn) (unsdcode:98434) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Countries With Special Needs (csn) (unsdcode:98434)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Countries With Special Needs (csn) (unsdcode:98434) was 55.36 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ESCAP: Countries With Special Needs (csn) (unsdcode:98434)?
- The highest recorded value was 77.42 million in 2012.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ESCAP: Countries With Special Needs (csn) (unsdcode:98434)?
- The lowest recorded value was 55.36 million in 2024.
- How does ESCAP: Countries With Special Needs (csn) (unsdcode:98434) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- ESCAP: Countries With Special Needs (csn) (unsdcode:98434) ranks 103rd out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in ESCAP: Countries With Special Needs (csn) (unsdcode:98434)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this ESCAP: Countries With Special Needs (csn) (unsdcode:98434) 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