Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Wb Upper Middle Income Economies (wb_upper_mid) (unsdcode:98437)
ESCAP: Wb Upper Middle Income Economies (wb_upper_mid) (unsdcode:98437): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 43.85 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Wb Upper Middle Income Economies (wb_upper_mid) (unsdcode:98437), 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
ESCAP: Wb Upper Middle Income Economies (wb_upper_mid) (unsdcode:98437) recorded 43.85 million for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of down 4.0% on the previous year and down 30.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Wb Upper Middle Income Economies (wb_upper_mid) (unsdcode:98437) peaked at 218.61 million in 1989 and was at its lowest, 43.85 million, in 2024.
ESCAP: Wb Upper Middle Income Economies (wb_upper_mid) (unsdcode:98437) ranks 112th of 203 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Wb Upper Middle Income Economies (wb_upper_mid) (unsdcode:98437), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 218.61 million | — |
| 1990 | 211.38 million | -3.3% |
| 1991 | 208.49 million | -1.4% |
| 1992 | 205.48 million | -1.4% |
| 1993 | 202.44 million | -1.5% |
| 1994 | 199.36 million | -1.5% |
| 1995 | 196.22 million | -1.6% |
| 1996 | 192.86 million | -1.7% |
| 1997 | 125.69 million | -34.8% |
| 1998 | 122.54 million | -2.5% |
| 1999 | 119.81 million | -2.2% |
| 2000 | 116.18 million | -3.0% |
| 2001 | 113.53 million | -2.3% |
| 2002 | 110.90 million | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 108.25 million | -2.4% |
| 2004 | 105.83 million | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 102.82 million | -2.8% |
| 2006 | 99.86 million | -2.9% |
| 2007 | 85.24 million | -14.6% |
| 2008 | 81.61 million | -4.3% |
| 2009 | 76.89 million | -5.8% |
| 2010 | 75.57 million | -1.7% |
| 2011 | 72.31 million | -4.3% |
| 2012 | 69.51 million | -3.9% |
| 2013 | 68.48 million | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 63.29 million | -7.6% |
| 2015 | 61.86 million | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 59.57 million | -3.7% |
| 2017 | 56.95 million | -4.4% |
| 2018 | 54.99 million | -3.5% |
| 2019 | 52.94 million | -3.7% |
| 2020 | 51.28 million | -3.1% |
| 2021 | 49.40 million | -3.7% |
| 2022 | 47.47 million | -3.9% |
| 2023 | 45.67 million | -3.8% |
| 2024 | 43.85 million | -4.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 218.61 million | 218.61 million | 218.61 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 178.43 million | 119.81 million | 211.38 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 100.11 million | 76.89 million | 116.18 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 63.55 million | 52.94 million | 75.57 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.53 million | 43.85 million | 51.28 million | 5 |
More education data for ESCAP: Wb Upper Middle Income Economies (wb_upper_mid) (unsdcode:98437)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -7.65 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 46.19 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.74 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.45 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 9.68 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 7.22 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 2.31 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 91.29 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 76.52 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.46 % change on previous year (2024)
All data for ESCAP: Wb Upper Middle Income Economies (wb_upper_mid) (unsdcode:98437) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Wb Upper Middle Income Economies (wb_upper_mid) (unsdcode:98437)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Wb Upper Middle Income Economies (wb_upper_mid) (unsdcode:98437) was 43.85 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ESCAP: Wb Upper Middle Income Economies (wb_upper_mid) (unsdcode:98437)?
- The highest recorded value was 218.61 million in 1989.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ESCAP: Wb Upper Middle Income Economies (wb_upper_mid) (unsdcode:98437)?
- The lowest recorded value was 43.85 million in 2024.
- How does ESCAP: Wb Upper Middle Income Economies (wb_upper_mid) (unsdcode:98437) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- ESCAP: Wb Upper Middle Income Economies (wb_upper_mid) (unsdcode:98437) ranks 112th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in ESCAP: Wb Upper Middle Income Economies (wb_upper_mid) (unsdcode:98437)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this ESCAP: Wb Upper Middle Income Economies (wb_upper_mid) (unsdcode:98437) 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