Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia Programme Countries
UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia Programme Countries: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 2.11 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia Programme Countries, 1999–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia Programme Countries is 2.11 million, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.
That represents a change of down 4.5% on the previous year and down 38.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia Programme Countries peaked at 9.11 million in 1999 and was at its lowest, 2.11 million, in 2024.
UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia Programme Countries ranks 181st of 203 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia Programme Countries, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 9.11 million | — |
| 2000 | 8.54 million | -6.3% |
| 2001 | 8.37 million | -1.9% |
| 2002 | 8.20 million | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 8.05 million | -1.8% |
| 2004 | 7.95 million | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 7.55 million | -5.0% |
| 2006 | 7.79 million | +3.1% |
| 2007 | 7.57 million | -2.8% |
| 2008 | 7.40 million | -2.2% |
| 2009 | 5.85 million | -21.0% |
| 2010 | 4.89 million | -16.3% |
| 2011 | 4.15 million | -15.3% |
| 2012 | 3.71 million | -10.6% |
| 2013 | 3.57 million | -3.6% |
| 2014 | 3.45 million | -3.5% |
| 2015 | 3.30 million | -4.2% |
| 2016 | 3.10 million | -6.2% |
| 2017 | 2.90 million | -6.4% |
| 2018 | 2.76 million | -4.7% |
| 2019 | 2.51 million | -9.2% |
| 2020 | 2.46 million | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 2.38 million | -3.4% |
| 2022 | 2.32 million | -2.6% |
| 2023 | 2.21 million | -4.6% |
| 2024 | 2.11 million | -4.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9.11 million | 9.11 million | 9.11 million | 1 |
| 2000s | 7.73 million | 5.85 million | 8.54 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.43 million | 2.51 million | 4.89 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.30 million | 2.11 million | 2.46 million | 5 |
More education data for UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia Programme Countries
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 30.32 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.8404 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 14.60 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 1 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 990,955 (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.8196 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate -0.1442 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 16.92 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 8.19 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 15.72 million (2024)
All data for UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia Programme Countries →
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia Programme Countries?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia Programme Countries was 2.11 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia Programme Countries?
- The highest recorded value was 9.11 million in 1999.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia Programme Countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.11 million in 2024.
- How does UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia Programme Countries rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia Programme Countries ranks 181st out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia Programme Countries?
- Over the last ten years it is down 38.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia Programme Countries 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