Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCWA: Arab Non-conflict and Non-ldc Middle Income Countries (unsdcode:98507)
ESCWA: Arab Non-conflict and Non-ldc Middle Income Countries (unsdcode:98507): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 33.90 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCWA: Arab Non-conflict and Non-ldc Middle Income Countries (unsdcode:98507), 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCWA: Arab Non-conflict and Non-ldc Middle Income Countries (unsdcode:98507) stood at 33.90 million.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.6% on the previous year and up 7.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCWA: Arab Non-conflict and Non-ldc Middle Income Countries (unsdcode:98507) peaked at 36.86 million in 2000 and was at its lowest, 30.21 million, in 2013.
That places ESCWA: Arab Non-conflict and Non-ldc Middle Income Countries (unsdcode:98507) 118th 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 ESCWA: Arab Non-conflict and Non-ldc Middle Income Countries (unsdcode:98507), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 36.34 million | — |
| 1990 | 35.51 million | -2.3% |
| 1991 | 35.67 million | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 35.79 million | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 36.29 million | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 36.49 million | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 36.60 million | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 36.67 million | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 36.73 million | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 36.70 million | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 36.77 million | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 36.86 million | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 36.63 million | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 36.63 million | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 32.93 million | -10.1% |
| 2004 | 32.86 million | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 33.03 million | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 36.42 million | +10.3% |
| 2007 | 36.41 million | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 35.96 million | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 34.83 million | -3.1% |
| 2010 | 34.55 million | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 32.44 million | -6.1% |
| 2012 | 31.48 million | -3.0% |
| 2013 | 30.21 million | -4.0% |
| 2014 | 31.60 million | +4.6% |
| 2015 | 31.24 million | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 36.10 million | +15.6% |
| 2017 | 35.70 million | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 35.37 million | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 35.14 million | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 35.07 million | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 34.73 million | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 34.35 million | -1.1% |
| 2023 | 34.10 million | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 33.90 million | -0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 36.34 million | 36.34 million | 36.34 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 36.32 million | 35.51 million | 36.77 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 35.26 million | 32.86 million | 36.86 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.38 million | 30.21 million | 36.10 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 34.43 million | 33.90 million | 35.07 million | 5 |
More education data for ESCWA: Arab Non-conflict and Non-ldc Middle Income Countries (unsdcode:98507)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.12 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 11.68 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 657,497 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 5.53 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.14 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 4.55 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 23.80 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.84 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 13.81 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.45 % change on previous year (2024)
All data for ESCWA: Arab Non-conflict and Non-ldc Middle Income Countries (unsdcode:98507) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCWA: Arab Non-conflict and Non-ldc Middle Income Countries (unsdcode:98507)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCWA: Arab Non-conflict and Non-ldc Middle Income Countries (unsdcode:98507) was 33.90 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ESCWA: Arab Non-conflict and Non-ldc Middle Income Countries (unsdcode:98507)?
- The highest recorded value was 36.86 million in 2000.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ESCWA: Arab Non-conflict and Non-ldc Middle Income Countries (unsdcode:98507)?
- The lowest recorded value was 30.21 million in 2013.
- How does ESCWA: Arab Non-conflict and Non-ldc Middle Income Countries (unsdcode:98507) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- ESCWA: Arab Non-conflict and Non-ldc Middle Income Countries (unsdcode:98507) ranks 118th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in ESCWA: Arab Non-conflict and Non-ldc Middle Income Countries (unsdcode:98507)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this ESCWA: Arab Non-conflict and Non-ldc Middle Income Countries (unsdcode:98507) 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