Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Eco (eco) (unsdcode:98407)
ESCAP: Eco (eco) (unsdcode:98407): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 81.83 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
81.83 million
Change on year
down 0.3%
Rank
86th
of 203 groups
All-time high
82.53 million
in 2021
All-time low
68.87 million
in 1993
Years of data
35
1990–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Eco (eco) (unsdcode:98407), 1990–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Eco (eco) (unsdcode:98407) stood at 81.83 million.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and up 3.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Eco (eco) (unsdcode:98407) peaked at 82.53 million in 2021 and was at its lowest, 68.87 million, in 1993.
That places ESCAP: Eco (eco) (unsdcode:98407) 86th out of 203 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Eco (eco) (unsdcode:98407), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 70.41 million | — |
| 1991 | 71.16 million | +1.1% |
| 1992 | 70.06 million | -1.5% |
| 1993 | 68.87 million | -1.7% |
| 1994 | 69.41 million | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 69.22 million | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 69.68 million | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 70.30 million | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 71.03 million | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 71.70 million | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 72.12 million | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 72.76 million | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 73.55 million | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 72.92 million | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 73.81 million | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 74.26 million | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 76.12 million | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 76.80 million | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 74.63 million | -2.8% |
| 2009 | 73.72 million | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 73.98 million | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 78.24 million | +5.8% |
| 2012 | 76.71 million | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 79.24 million | +3.3% |
| 2014 | 78.93 million | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 78.59 million | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 78.05 million | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 79.25 million | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 81.61 million | +3.0% |
| 2019 | 82.43 million | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 82.48 million | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 82.53 million | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 82.35 million | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 82.04 million | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 81.83 million | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 70.18 million | 68.87 million | 71.70 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 74.07 million | 72.12 million | 76.80 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 78.70 million | 73.98 million | 82.43 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 82.25 million | 81.83 million | 82.53 million | 5 |
More education data for ESCAP: Eco (eco) (unsdcode:98407)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 16.80 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 24.66 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 5.5 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 27.97 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 4.08 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 18.02 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.01 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.41 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.7959 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 10.58 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Eco (eco) (unsdcode:98407)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Eco (eco) (unsdcode:98407) was 81.83 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ESCAP: Eco (eco) (unsdcode:98407)?
- The highest recorded value was 82.53 million in 2021.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ESCAP: Eco (eco) (unsdcode:98407)?
- The lowest recorded value was 68.87 million in 1993.
- How does ESCAP: Eco (eco) (unsdcode:98407) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- ESCAP: Eco (eco) (unsdcode:98407) ranks 86th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in ESCAP: Eco (eco) (unsdcode:98407)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this ESCAP: Eco (eco) (unsdcode:98407) 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