Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCWA: Arab Middle-income Countries (mics) (unsdcode:98508)
ESCWA: Arab Middle-income Countries (mics) (unsdcode:98508): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 40.51 million in 2024. ▬ Flat
Latest (2024)
40.51 million
Change on year
down 0.1%
Rank
113th
of 203 groups
All-time high
42.29 million
in 2006
All-time low
36.42 million
in 2013
Years of data
36
1989–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCWA: Arab Middle-income Countries (mics) (unsdcode:98508), 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCWA: Arab Middle-income Countries (mics) (unsdcode:98508) stood at 40.51 million.
That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and up 8.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCWA: Arab Middle-income Countries (mics) (unsdcode:98508) peaked at 42.29 million in 2006 and was at its lowest, 36.42 million, in 2013.
ESCWA: Arab Middle-income Countries (mics) (unsdcode:98508) ranks 113th of 203 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCWA: Arab Middle-income Countries (mics) (unsdcode:98508), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 40.79 million | — |
| 1990 | 39.92 million | -2.1% |
| 1991 | 40.09 million | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 40.32 million | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 40.95 million | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 41.36 million | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 41.64 million | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 41.76 million | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 41.86 million | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 41.88 million | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 42.01 million | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 42.17 million | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 42.02 million | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 42.05 million | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 38.42 million | -8.6% |
| 2004 | 38.42 million | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 38.81 million | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 42.29 million | +9.0% |
| 2007 | 42.21 million | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 41.76 million | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 40.88 million | -2.1% |
| 2010 | 40.73 million | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 38.91 million | -4.5% |
| 2012 | 37.91 million | -2.6% |
| 2013 | 36.42 million | -3.9% |
| 2014 | 37.52 million | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 37.18 million | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 42.06 million | +13.1% |
| 2017 | 41.29 million | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 41.09 million | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 40.99 million | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 41.06 million | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 40.87 million | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 40.63 million | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 40.54 million | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 40.51 million | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 40.79 million | 40.79 million | 40.79 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 41.18 million | 39.92 million | 42.01 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 40.90 million | 38.42 million | 42.29 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 39.41 million | 36.42 million | 42.06 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 40.72 million | 40.51 million | 41.06 million | 5 |
More education data for ESCWA: Arab Middle-income Countries (mics) (unsdcode:98508)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.4091 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 13.85 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 2.05 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 3.4 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.67 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 2.58 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 28.59 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.01 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 18.16 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.6975 % change on previous year (2024)
All data for ESCWA: Arab Middle-income Countries (mics) (unsdcode:98508) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCWA: Arab Middle-income Countries (mics) (unsdcode:98508)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCWA: Arab Middle-income Countries (mics) (unsdcode:98508) was 40.51 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ESCWA: Arab Middle-income Countries (mics) (unsdcode:98508)?
- The highest recorded value was 42.29 million in 2006.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ESCWA: Arab Middle-income Countries (mics) (unsdcode:98508)?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.42 million in 2013.
- How does ESCWA: Arab Middle-income Countries (mics) (unsdcode:98508) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- ESCWA: Arab Middle-income Countries (mics) (unsdcode:98508) ranks 113th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in ESCWA: Arab Middle-income Countries (mics) (unsdcode:98508)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this ESCWA: Arab Middle-income Countries (mics) (unsdcode:98508) 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