Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Western Balkans
UNICEF: Western Balkans: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 180,054 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Western Balkans, 1999–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Western Balkans is 180,054, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.
That represents a change of down 5.3% on the previous year and down 48.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Western Balkans peaked at 537,391 in 1999 and was at its lowest, 180,054, in 2024.
That places UNICEF: Western Balkans 196th out of 203 groups with data for 2024, putting it 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: Western Balkans, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 537,391 | — |
| 2000 | 506,307 | -5.8% |
| 2001 | 482,892 | -4.6% |
| 2002 | 460,694 | -4.6% |
| 2003 | 438,918 | -4.7% |
| 2004 | 418,715 | -4.6% |
| 2005 | 398,873 | -4.7% |
| 2006 | 447,703 | +12.2% |
| 2007 | 425,205 | -5.0% |
| 2008 | 392,021 | -7.8% |
| 2009 | 387,787 | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 369,894 | -4.6% |
| 2011 | 351,575 | -5.0% |
| 2012 | 332,127 | -5.5% |
| 2013 | 369,783 | +11.3% |
| 2014 | 352,690 | -4.6% |
| 2015 | 335,980 | -4.7% |
| 2016 | 319,703 | -4.8% |
| 2017 | 228,520 | -28.5% |
| 2018 | 216,407 | -5.3% |
| 2019 | 205,355 | -5.1% |
| 2020 | 213,758 | +4.1% |
| 2021 | 201,778 | -5.6% |
| 2022 | 199,220 | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 190,071 | -4.6% |
| 2024 | 180,054 | -5.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 537,391 | 537,391 | 537,391 | 1 |
| 2000s | 435,912 | 387,787 | 506,307 | 10 |
| 2010s | 308,203 | 205,355 | 369,894 | 10 |
| 2020s | 196,976 | 180,054 | 213,758 | 5 |
More education data for UNICEF: Western Balkans
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate -2.25 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate -1.64 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 571,333 (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate -1.4 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 544,823 (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -1.52 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate -0.7018 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.12 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 316,196 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 45,751 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Western Balkans?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Western Balkans was 180,054 in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Western Balkans?
- The highest recorded value was 537,391 in 1999.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Western Balkans?
- The lowest recorded value was 180,054 in 2024.
- How does UNICEF: Western Balkans rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- UNICEF: Western Balkans ranks 196th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: Western Balkans?
- Over the last ten years it is down 48.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this UNICEF: Western Balkans 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