Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Peru

Peru: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 1.34 million in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)
1.34 million
Change on year
up 3.1%
World rank
27th
of 59 countries
All-time high
2.29 million
in 2004
All-time low
1.28 million
in 2015
Years of data
12
1993–2020

Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Peru, 1993–2020

0500.0k1.0M1.5M2.0M2.5M1993200620201993: 1.8M2004: 2.3M2005: 2.3M2006: 2.2M2007: 2.0M2012: 1.3M2014: 1.4M2015: 1.3M2016: 1.3M2017: 1.3M2018: 1.3M2020: 1.3M

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

Peru recorded 1.34 million for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in 2020.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.1% on the previous year and up 2.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Peru peaked at 2.29 million in 2004 and was at its lowest, 1.28 million, in 2015.

That places Peru 27th out of 59 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 12 years of available data.

Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Peru, year by year

Annual values for Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes (number) in Peru, 1993 to 2020.
Year Value Change
1993 1.82 million
2004 2.29 million +25.6%
2005 2.27 million -0.9%
2006 2.16 million -4.8%
2007 2.01 million -6.8%
2012 1.30 million -35.4%
2014 1.36 million +4.8%
2015 1.28 million -6.1%
2016 1.30 million +1.5%
2017 1.33 million +2.5%
2018 1.30 million -2.4%
2020 1.34 million +3.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 1.82 million 1.82 million 1.82 million 1
2000s 2.18 million 2.01 million 2.29 million 4
2010s 1.31 million 1.28 million 1.36 million 6
2020s 1.34 million 1.34 million 1.34 million 1

Countries ranked near Peru

  1. 24 Colombia 1.69 million compare
  2. 25 Togo 1.60 million compare
  3. 26 Cambodia 1.38 million compare
  4. 28 Sri Lanka 1.30 million compare
  5. 29 Philippines 1.17 million compare
  6. 30 Malaysia 1.11 million compare

See the full ranking of 262 places →

More education data for Peru

All data for Peru →

Frequently asked questions

What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Peru?
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Peru was 1.34 million in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in Peru?
The highest recorded value was 2.29 million in 2004.
What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in Peru?
The lowest recorded value was 1.28 million in 2015.
How does Peru rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
Peru ranks 27th out of 59 countries with data for 2020.
Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in Peru?
Over the last ten years it is up 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Peru 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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Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Peru. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/adult-illiterate-population-15-years-both-sexes-number-2/peru/

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About this data

Indicator
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
262 places, 6,930 data points, 1989–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release