Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern
WB: Africa Eastern and Southern: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 118.97 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
118.97 million
Change on year
up 1.7%
Rank
68th
of 203 groups
All-time high
118.97 million
in 2024
All-time low
70.82 million
in 1990
Years of data
36
1989–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern, 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern stood at 118.97 million. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.7% on the previous year and up 18.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern peaked at 118.97 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 70.82 million, in 1990.
WB: Africa Eastern and Southern ranks 68th of 203 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 71.69 million | — |
| 1990 | 70.82 million | -1.2% |
| 1991 | 72.91 million | +3.0% |
| 1992 | 74.35 million | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 75.46 million | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 76.75 million | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 78.40 million | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 79.33 million | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 79.40 million | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 80.88 million | +1.9% |
| 1999 | 81.30 million | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 82.47 million | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 83.67 million | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 84.51 million | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 85.75 million | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 87.63 million | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 91.79 million | +4.7% |
| 2006 | 99.64 million | +8.6% |
| 2007 | 99.76 million | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 101.95 million | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 102.90 million | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 103.73 million | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 100.50 million | -3.1% |
| 2012 | 98.24 million | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 99.19 million | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 100.10 million | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 101.79 million | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 102.54 million | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 105.84 million | +3.2% |
| 2018 | 106.36 million | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 105.49 million | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 108.21 million | +2.6% |
| 2021 | 112.79 million | +4.2% |
| 2022 | 114.85 million | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 117.01 million | +1.9% |
| 2024 | 118.97 million | +1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 71.69 million | 71.69 million | 71.69 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 76.96 million | 70.82 million | 81.30 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 92.01 million | 82.47 million | 102.90 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 102.38 million | 98.24 million | 106.36 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 114.37 million | 108.21 million | 118.97 million | 5 |
More education data for WB: Africa Eastern and Southern
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 20.71 million (2022)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 2.23 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.92 million (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.75 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 18.88 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 2.91 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 23.18 million (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.98 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.9717 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 46.07 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern was 118.97 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The highest recorded value was 118.97 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The lowest recorded value was 70.82 million in 1990.
- How does WB: Africa Eastern and Southern rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- WB: Africa Eastern and Southern ranks 68th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in WB: Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this WB: Africa Eastern and Southern 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