Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in MDG: Western Asia
MDG: Western Asia: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 18.41 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in MDG: Western Asia, 1998–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
MDG: Western Asia recorded 18.41 million for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.6% on the previous year and up 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in MDG: Western Asia peaked at 24.22 million in 1998 and was at its lowest, 16.85 million, in 2017.
That places MDG: Western Asia 149th 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 27 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in MDG: Western Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 24.22 million | — |
| 1999 | 23.79 million | -1.8% |
| 2000 | 23.16 million | -2.7% |
| 2001 | 22.89 million | -1.1% |
| 2002 | 22.50 million | -1.7% |
| 2003 | 22.46 million | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 22.28 million | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 22.09 million | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 22.46 million | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 22.06 million | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 22.16 million | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 21.30 million | -3.9% |
| 2010 | 20.44 million | -4.1% |
| 2011 | 19.03 million | -6.9% |
| 2012 | 18.95 million | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 18.62 million | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 18.16 million | -2.5% |
| 2015 | 17.45 million | -3.9% |
| 2016 | 17.16 million | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 16.85 million | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 17.07 million | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 17.14 million | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 17.37 million | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 17.51 million | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 17.77 million | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 18.12 million | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 18.41 million | +1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 24.01 million | 23.79 million | 24.22 million | 2 |
| 2000s | 22.34 million | 21.30 million | 23.16 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.09 million | 16.85 million | 20.44 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.84 million | 17.37 million | 18.41 million | 5 |
More education data for MDG: Western Asia
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.03 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 1.11 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 6.88 million (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 0.4264 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 6.72 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 12.22 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 517,916 (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate -1.23 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate -1.09 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 3.70 million (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in MDG: Western Asia?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in MDG: Western Asia was 18.41 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in MDG: Western Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 24.22 million in 1998.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in MDG: Western Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.85 million in 2017.
- How does MDG: Western Asia rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- MDG: Western Asia ranks 149th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in MDG: Western Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this MDG: Western Asia 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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CSV · JSON — 27 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release