Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in GPE: Overall Fy24, All 90 Countries, December 2024
GPE: Overall Fy24, All 90 Countries, December 2024: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 395.41 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
395.41 million
Change on year
up 1.3%
Rank
16th
of 203 groups
All-time high
395.41 million
in 2024
All-time low
296.79 million
in 1990
Years of data
36
1989–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in GPE: Overall Fy24, All 90 Countries, December 2024, 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in GPE: Overall Fy24, All 90 Countries, December 2024 stood at 395.41 million. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 5.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in GPE: Overall Fy24, All 90 Countries, December 2024 peaked at 395.41 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 296.79 million, in 1990.
GPE: Overall Fy24, All 90 Countries, December 2024 ranks 16th of 203 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in GPE: Overall Fy24, All 90 Countries, December 2024, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 301.12 million | — |
| 1990 | 296.79 million | -1.4% |
| 1991 | 301.10 million | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 303.49 million | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 306.20 million | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 309.35 million | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 313.60 million | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 317.04 million | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 319.45 million | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 318.88 million | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 321.95 million | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 331.34 million | +2.9% |
| 2001 | 334.12 million | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 336.65 million | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 335.20 million | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 338.24 million | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 345.07 million | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 365.20 million | +5.8% |
| 2007 | 370.26 million | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 373.29 million | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 376.77 million | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 372.80 million | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 372.03 million | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 379.45 million | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 377.69 million | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 375.65 million | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 369.55 million | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 368.92 million | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 371.11 million | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 369.75 million | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 375.53 million | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 379.60 million | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 382.98 million | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 386.16 million | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 390.51 million | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 395.41 million | +1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 301.12 million | 301.12 million | 301.12 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 310.78 million | 296.79 million | 321.95 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 350.61 million | 331.34 million | 376.77 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 373.25 million | 368.92 million | 379.45 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 386.93 million | 379.60 million | 395.41 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near GPE: Overall Fy24, All 90 Countries, December 2024
More education data for GPE: Overall Fy24, All 90 Countries, December 2024
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 97.82 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 62.10 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 2.08 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 104.89 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.96 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 10.46 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 202.72 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 2.02 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 4.07 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.4294 % change on previous year (2024)
All data for GPE: Overall Fy24, All 90 Countries, December 2024 →
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in GPE: Overall Fy24, All 90 Countries, December 2024?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in GPE: Overall Fy24, All 90 Countries, December 2024 was 395.41 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in GPE: Overall Fy24, All 90 Countries, December 2024?
- The highest recorded value was 395.41 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in GPE: Overall Fy24, All 90 Countries, December 2024?
- The lowest recorded value was 296.79 million in 1990.
- How does GPE: Overall Fy24, All 90 Countries, December 2024 rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- GPE: Overall Fy24, All 90 Countries, December 2024 ranks 16th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in GPE: Overall Fy24, All 90 Countries, December 2024?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this GPE: Overall Fy24, All 90 Countries, December 2024 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