Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Global Partnership for Education (july 2019)
WB: Global Partnership for Education (july 2019): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 357.40 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
357.40 million
Change on year
up 1.5%
Rank
18th
of 203 groups
All-time high
357.40 million
in 2024
All-time low
245.67 million
in 1990
Years of data
36
1989–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Global Partnership for Education (july 2019), 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Global Partnership for Education (july 2019) stood at 357.40 million. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 5.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Global Partnership for Education (july 2019) peaked at 357.40 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 245.67 million, in 1990.
WB: Global Partnership for Education (july 2019) ranks 18th of 203 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Global Partnership for Education (july 2019), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 248.52 million | — |
| 1990 | 245.67 million | -1.1% |
| 1991 | 250.00 million | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 252.63 million | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 255.06 million | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 258.36 million | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 262.87 million | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 266.60 million | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 269.34 million | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 269.11 million | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 271.68 million | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 281.93 million | +3.8% |
| 2001 | 285.00 million | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 287.98 million | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 290.27 million | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 293.66 million | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 300.88 million | +2.5% |
| 2006 | 318.27 million | +5.8% |
| 2007 | 324.94 million | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 329.44 million | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 334.63 million | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 329.13 million | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 329.02 million | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 337.06 million | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 336.04 million | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 337.42 million | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 332.59 million | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 327.14 million | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 329.49 million | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 326.74 million | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 333.17 million | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 339.05 million | +1.8% |
| 2021 | 343.11 million | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 347.12 million | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 352.00 million | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 357.40 million | +1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 248.52 million | 248.52 million | 248.52 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 260.13 million | 245.67 million | 271.68 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 304.70 million | 281.93 million | 334.63 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 331.78 million | 326.74 million | 337.42 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 347.73 million | 339.05 million | 357.40 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near WB: Global Partnership for Education (july 2019)
More education data for WB: Global Partnership for Education (july 2019)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 3.69 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 66.58 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.52 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 72.23 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 2.07 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 49.42 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 4.18 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 25.20 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 13.52 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 4.97 % change on previous year (2024)
All data for WB: Global Partnership for Education (july 2019) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Global Partnership for Education (july 2019)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Global Partnership for Education (july 2019) was 357.40 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in WB: Global Partnership for Education (july 2019)?
- The highest recorded value was 357.40 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in WB: Global Partnership for Education (july 2019)?
- The lowest recorded value was 245.67 million in 1990.
- How does WB: Global Partnership for Education (july 2019) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- WB: Global Partnership for Education (july 2019) ranks 18th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in WB: Global Partnership for Education (july 2019)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this WB: Global Partnership for Education (july 2019) 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