Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCWA: Mashreq Subregion (unsdcode:98503)
ESCWA: Mashreq Subregion (unsdcode:98503): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 24.24 million in 2024. ▬ Flat
Latest (2024)
24.24 million
Change on year
down 0.2%
Rank
134th
of 203 groups
All-time high
25.43 million
in 2016
All-time low
20.82 million
in 2015
Years of data
36
1989–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCWA: Mashreq Subregion (unsdcode:98503), 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
ESCWA: Mashreq Subregion (unsdcode:98503) recorded 24.24 million for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and up 12.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCWA: Mashreq Subregion (unsdcode:98503) peaked at 25.43 million in 2016 and was at its lowest, 20.82 million, in 2015.
ESCWA: Mashreq Subregion (unsdcode:98503) ranks 134th of 203 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCWA: Mashreq Subregion (unsdcode:98503), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 23.68 million | — |
| 1990 | 23.18 million | -2.1% |
| 1991 | 23.38 million | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 23.51 million | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 23.99 million | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 24.28 million | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 24.47 million | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 24.54 million | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 24.59 million | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 24.65 million | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 24.75 million | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 24.85 million | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 24.94 million | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 24.97 million | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 21.37 million | -14.4% |
| 2004 | 21.41 million | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 21.47 million | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 24.98 million | +16.3% |
| 2007 | 24.82 million | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 24.69 million | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 23.72 million | -3.9% |
| 2010 | 23.57 million | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 23.64 million | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 23.61 million | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 22.17 million | -6.1% |
| 2014 | 21.54 million | -2.9% |
| 2015 | 20.82 million | -3.3% |
| 2016 | 25.43 million | +22.2% |
| 2017 | 24.82 million | -2.4% |
| 2018 | 24.70 million | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 24.63 million | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 24.73 million | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 24.57 million | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 24.36 million | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 24.28 million | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 24.24 million | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 23.68 million | 23.68 million | 23.68 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 24.13 million | 23.18 million | 24.75 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 23.72 million | 21.37 million | 24.98 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.49 million | 20.82 million | 25.43 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.44 million | 24.24 million | 24.73 million | 5 |
More education data for ESCWA: Mashreq Subregion (unsdcode:98503)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 6.3 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 8.52 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.5456 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 9.32 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate -0.2365 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.23 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 0.2143 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 6.84 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 3.43 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 7.21 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCWA: Mashreq Subregion (unsdcode:98503)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in ESCWA: Mashreq Subregion (unsdcode:98503) was 24.24 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ESCWA: Mashreq Subregion (unsdcode:98503)?
- The highest recorded value was 25.43 million in 2016.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ESCWA: Mashreq Subregion (unsdcode:98503)?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.82 million in 2015.
- How does ESCWA: Mashreq Subregion (unsdcode:98503) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- ESCWA: Mashreq Subregion (unsdcode:98503) ranks 134th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in ESCWA: Mashreq Subregion (unsdcode:98503)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this ESCWA: Mashreq Subregion (unsdcode:98503) 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release