Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa
UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 59.11 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
59.11 million
Change on year
up 0.1%
Rank
101st
of 203 groups
All-time high
69.50 million
in 1989
All-time low
55.97 million
in 2015
Years of data
36
1989–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa, 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa stood at 59.11 million.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and up 3.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa peaked at 69.50 million in 1989 and was at its lowest, 55.97 million, in 2015.
UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa ranks 101st of 203 groups on this measure, 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 UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 69.50 million | — |
| 1990 | 65.75 million | -5.4% |
| 1991 | 65.52 million | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 65.59 million | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 65.86 million | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 65.63 million | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 64.90 million | -1.1% |
| 1996 | 64.71 million | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 64.50 million | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 64.09 million | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 63.91 million | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 63.78 million | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 63.32 million | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 62.94 million | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 58.80 million | -6.6% |
| 2004 | 58.53 million | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 58.75 million | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 62.94 million | +7.1% |
| 2007 | 62.65 million | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 60.09 million | -4.1% |
| 2009 | 59.12 million | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 58.84 million | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 58.74 million | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 57.45 million | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 56.05 million | -2.4% |
| 2014 | 57.08 million | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 55.97 million | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 60.61 million | +8.3% |
| 2017 | 59.87 million | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 59.74 million | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 59.68 million | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 59.57 million | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 59.22 million | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 58.98 million | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 59.06 million | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 59.11 million | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 69.50 million | 69.50 million | 69.50 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 65.05 million | 63.91 million | 65.86 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 61.09 million | 58.53 million | 63.78 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 58.40 million | 55.97 million | 60.61 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 59.19 million | 58.98 million | 59.57 million | 5 |
More education data for UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 6.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 21.65 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.17 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 23.21 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.71 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 6.49 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -0.5257 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 17.53 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 8.61 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 6.11 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa was 59.11 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?
- The highest recorded value was 69.50 million in 1989.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 55.97 million in 2015.
- How does UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa ranks 101st 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?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this UNICEF: Middle East and North Africa 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