Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Europe & Central Asia (ida & Ibrd)
WB: Europe & Central Asia (ida & Ibrd): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 2.26 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Europe & Central Asia (ida & Ibrd), 1999–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Europe & Central Asia (ida & Ibrd) is 2.26 million, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.2% on the previous year and down 41.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Europe & Central Asia (ida & Ibrd) peaked at 10.02 million in 1999 and was at its lowest, 2.26 million, in 2024.
WB: Europe & Central Asia (ida & Ibrd) ranks 178th 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 WB: Europe & Central Asia (ida & Ibrd), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 10.02 million | — |
| 2000 | 9.41 million | -6.0% |
| 2001 | 9.22 million | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 9.02 million | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 8.85 million | -1.9% |
| 2004 | 8.71 million | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 8.29 million | -4.8% |
| 2006 | 8.50 million | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 8.26 million | -2.9% |
| 2008 | 7.93 million | -4.0% |
| 2009 | 6.36 million | -19.8% |
| 2010 | 5.39 million | -15.2% |
| 2011 | 4.63 million | -14.1% |
| 2012 | 4.18 million | -9.8% |
| 2013 | 4.03 million | -3.5% |
| 2014 | 3.89 million | -3.4% |
| 2015 | 3.74 million | -3.9% |
| 2016 | 3.53 million | -5.7% |
| 2017 | 3.32 million | -6.0% |
| 2018 | 2.93 million | -11.6% |
| 2019 | 2.67 million | -8.8% |
| 2020 | 2.62 million | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 2.53 million | -3.4% |
| 2022 | 2.47 million | -2.4% |
| 2023 | 2.36 million | -4.4% |
| 2024 | 2.26 million | -4.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 10.02 million | 10.02 million | 10.02 million | 1 |
| 2000s | 8.46 million | 6.36 million | 9.41 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.83 million | 2.67 million | 5.39 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.45 million | 2.26 million | 2.62 million | 5 |
More education data for WB: Europe & Central Asia (ida & Ibrd)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 11.86 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 21.39 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.5726 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 23.01 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.5449 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 15.51 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 5.89 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 8.37 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 8.12 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 180,868 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Europe & Central Asia (ida & Ibrd)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Europe & Central Asia (ida & Ibrd) was 2.26 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in WB: Europe & Central Asia (ida & Ibrd)?
- The highest recorded value was 10.02 million in 1999.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in WB: Europe & Central Asia (ida & Ibrd)?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.26 million in 2024.
- How does WB: Europe & Central Asia (ida & Ibrd) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- WB: Europe & Central Asia (ida & Ibrd) ranks 178th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in WB: Europe & Central Asia (ida & Ibrd)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 41.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this WB: Europe & Central Asia (ida & Ibrd) 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