Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries
UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 70.02 million in 2024. ▬ Flat
Latest (2024)
70.02 million
Change on year
up 0.1%
Rank
87th
of 203 groups
All-time high
74.16 million
in 1989
All-time low
63.62 million
in 2004
Years of data
36
1989–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries, 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries recorded 70.02 million for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in 2024.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and up 6.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries peaked at 74.16 million in 1989 and was at its lowest, 63.62 million, in 2004.
UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries ranks 87th of 203 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 74.16 million | — |
| 1990 | 70.42 million | -5.0% |
| 1991 | 70.29 million | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 70.46 million | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 70.83 million | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 70.74 million | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 70.15 million | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 69.96 million | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 69.71 million | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 69.31 million | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 69.13 million | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 68.99 million | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 68.52 million | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 68.12 million | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 63.95 million | -6.1% |
| 2004 | 63.62 million | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 63.80 million | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 70.78 million | +10.9% |
| 2007 | 70.56 million | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 68.08 million | -3.5% |
| 2009 | 67.22 million | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 67.06 million | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 66.97 million | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 65.70 million | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 64.36 million | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 65.47 million | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 64.53 million | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 69.34 million | +7.5% |
| 2017 | 68.77 million | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 68.92 million | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 69.22 million | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 69.44 million | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 69.39 million | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 69.50 million | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 69.91 million | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 70.02 million | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 74.16 million | 74.16 million | 74.16 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 70.10 million | 69.13 million | 70.83 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 67.36 million | 63.62 million | 70.78 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 67.04 million | 64.36 million | 69.34 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 69.65 million | 69.39 million | 70.02 million | 5 |
More education data for UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 17.93 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 2.81 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 22.79 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.18 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 24.28 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.77 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.22 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -0.3301 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 8.84 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 5.99 % change on previous year (2024)
All data for UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries →
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries was 70.02 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries?
- The highest recorded value was 74.16 million in 1989.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 63.62 million in 2004.
- How does UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries ranks 87th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa Programme Countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa 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