Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia
SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 65.11 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
65.11 million
Change on year
up 0.3%
Rank
95th
of 203 groups
All-time high
68.52 million
in 1994
All-time low
58.78 million
in 2013
Years of data
34
1991–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia, 1991–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia is 65.11 million, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 8.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia peaked at 68.52 million in 1994 and was at its lowest, 58.78 million, in 2013.
SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia ranks 95th of 203 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 68.29 million | — |
| 1992 | 68.22 million | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 68.46 million | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 68.52 million | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 68.45 million | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 68.12 million | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 67.71 million | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 67.15 million | -0.8% |
| 1999 | 66.80 million | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 66.28 million | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 65.81 million | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 65.43 million | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 61.71 million | -5.7% |
| 2004 | 61.45 million | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 61.40 million | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 67.98 million | +10.7% |
| 2007 | 67.70 million | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 67.48 million | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 65.65 million | -2.7% |
| 2010 | 64.73 million | -1.4% |
| 2011 | 61.29 million | -5.3% |
| 2012 | 60.28 million | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 58.78 million | -2.5% |
| 2014 | 59.79 million | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 58.91 million | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 63.63 million | +8.0% |
| 2017 | 63.13 million | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 63.37 million | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 63.64 million | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 63.99 million | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 64.16 million | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 64.44 million | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 64.94 million | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 65.11 million | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 67.97 million | 66.80 million | 68.52 million | 9 |
| 2000s | 65.09 million | 61.40 million | 67.98 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 61.75 million | 58.78 million | 64.73 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 64.53 million | 63.99 million | 65.11 million | 5 |
More education data for SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 26.40 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 9.09 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.19 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 28.29 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.58 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 3.02 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.371 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.38 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 0.2663 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 2.39 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia was 65.11 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 68.52 million in 1994.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 58.78 million in 2013.
- How does SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia ranks 95th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this SDG: Northern Africa and 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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About this data
February 2026 Data Release