Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 539,462 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
539,462
World rank
34th
of 59 countries
All-time high
2.11 million
in 2004
All-time low
525,270
in 2020
Years of data
7
1992–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Saudi Arabia, 1992–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Saudi Arabia stood at 539,462.
That represents a change of down 49.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Saudi Arabia peaked at 2.11 million in 2004 and was at its lowest, 525,270, in 2020.
That places Saudi Arabia 34th out of 59 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 1.97 million | — |
| 2000 | 2.01 million | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 2.11 million | +5.2% |
| 2013 | 1.07 million | -49.4% |
| 2017 | 1.02 million | -4.8% |
| 2020 | 525,270 | -48.4% |
| 2024 | 539,462 | +2.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.97 million | 1.97 million | 1.97 million | 1 |
| 2000s | 2.06 million | 2.01 million | 2.11 million | 2 |
| 2010s | 1.04 million | 1.02 million | 1.07 million | 2 |
| 2020s | 532,366 | 525,270 | 539,462 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 31 Honduras 761,211 compare
- 32 Lao People's Democratic Republic 688,200 compare
- 33 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 635,106 compare
- 35 Chile 529,430 compare
- 36 Ecuador 487,709 compare
- 37 El Salvador 483,465 compare
More education data for Saudi Arabia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 242,375 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 26,900 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 215,559 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 214,840 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.36 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.45 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.53 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0976 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Saudi Arabia?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Saudi Arabia was 539,462 in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 2.11 million in 2004.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 525,270 in 2020.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 34th out of 59 countries with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 49.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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 — 7 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release