Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411)
ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 52.32 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411), 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411) stood at 52.32 million. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.3% on the previous year and down 24.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411) peaked at 75.09 million in 2012 and was at its lowest, 52.32 million, in 2024.
ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411) ranks 107th of 203 groups on this measure, 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: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 61.47 million | — |
| 1990 | 60.88 million | -1.0% |
| 1991 | 61.78 million | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 62.75 million | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 64.27 million | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 64.74 million | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 64.94 million | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 65.98 million | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 67.02 million | +1.6% |
| 1998 | 64.20 million | -4.2% |
| 1999 | 64.62 million | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 65.22 million | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 65.69 million | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 65.96 million | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 66.31 million | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 66.56 million | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 66.63 million | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 73.66 million | +10.6% |
| 2007 | 73.88 million | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 73.86 million | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 74.48 million | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 66.02 million | -11.4% |
| 2011 | 66.09 million | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 75.09 million | +13.6% |
| 2013 | 69.46 million | -7.5% |
| 2014 | 68.97 million | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 61.64 million | -10.6% |
| 2016 | 54.17 million | -12.1% |
| 2017 | 54.14 million | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 55.25 million | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 54.58 million | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 54.70 million | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 53.78 million | -1.7% |
| 2022 | 52.82 million | -1.8% |
| 2023 | 52.49 million | -0.6% |
| 2024 | 52.32 million | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 61.47 million | 61.47 million | 61.47 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 64.12 million | 60.88 million | 67.02 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 69.23 million | 65.22 million | 74.48 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 62.54 million | 54.14 million | 75.09 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 53.22 million | 52.32 million | 54.70 million | 5 |
More education data for ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 96.1% (2024)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 94.6% (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female 14.10 million (2024)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in vocational 3.9% (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male 14.13 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes 5.95 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes 1.24 million (2020)
- Enrolment in primary education, male 19.17 million (2021)
- School age population, upper secondary education, male 11.36 million (2024)
- School age population, upper secondary education, female 10.84 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411) was 52.32 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411)?
- The highest recorded value was 75.09 million in 2012.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411)?
- The lowest recorded value was 52.32 million in 2024.
- How does ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411) ranks 107th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this ESCAP: Ldc (ldc_e) (unsdcode:98411) 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