Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia
SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 59.36 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
59.36 million
Change on year
down 3.4%
Rank
99th
of 203 groups
All-time high
243.79 million
in 1989
All-time low
59.36 million
in 2024
Years of data
36
1989–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia, 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia recorded 59.36 million for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.4% on the previous year and down 28.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia peaked at 243.79 million in 1989 and was at its lowest, 59.36 million, in 2024.
That places SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia 99th 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 36 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 243.79 million | — |
| 1990 | 236.41 million | -3.0% |
| 1991 | 233.68 million | -1.2% |
| 1992 | 230.84 million | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 228.24 million | -1.1% |
| 1994 | 224.17 million | -1.8% |
| 1995 | 220.03 million | -1.8% |
| 1996 | 216.85 million | -1.4% |
| 1997 | 149.25 million | -31.2% |
| 1998 | 146.69 million | -1.7% |
| 1999 | 144.18 million | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 140.98 million | -2.2% |
| 2001 | 138.47 million | -1.8% |
| 2002 | 135.40 million | -2.2% |
| 2003 | 132.01 million | -2.5% |
| 2004 | 128.83 million | -2.4% |
| 2005 | 125.44 million | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 121.81 million | -2.9% |
| 2007 | 104.39 million | -14.3% |
| 2008 | 100.46 million | -3.8% |
| 2009 | 96.93 million | -3.5% |
| 2010 | 98.18 million | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 95.30 million | -2.9% |
| 2012 | 91.90 million | -3.6% |
| 2013 | 91.41 million | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 83.52 million | -8.6% |
| 2015 | 80.28 million | -3.9% |
| 2016 | 77.19 million | -3.8% |
| 2017 | 74.23 million | -3.8% |
| 2018 | 73.89 million | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 71.65 million | -3.0% |
| 2020 | 68.04 million | -5.0% |
| 2021 | 65.86 million | -3.2% |
| 2022 | 63.51 million | -3.6% |
| 2023 | 61.43 million | -3.3% |
| 2024 | 59.36 million | -3.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 243.79 million | 243.79 million | 243.79 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 203.03 million | 144.18 million | 236.41 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 122.47 million | 96.93 million | 140.98 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 83.76 million | 71.65 million | 98.18 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 63.64 million | 59.36 million | 68.04 million | 5 |
More education data for SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.32 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 89.12 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.04 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 80.86 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.1689 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 10.74 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.278 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 88.74 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 98.09 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.58 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia was 59.36 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 243.79 million in 1989.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 59.36 million in 2024.
- How does SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia ranks 99th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this SDG: Eastern and South-eastern 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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About this data
February 2026 Data Release