Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (hipc)
WB: Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (hipc): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 180.88 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
180.88 million
Change on year
up 2.1%
Rank
52nd
of 203 groups
All-time high
180.88 million
in 2024
All-time low
105.52 million
in 1990
Years of data
36
1989–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (hipc), 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (hipc) stood at 180.88 million. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.1% on the previous year and up 16.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (hipc) peaked at 180.88 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 105.52 million, in 1990.
That places WB: Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (hipc) 52nd out of 203 groups with data for 2024, putting it 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: Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (hipc), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 106.54 million | — |
| 1990 | 105.52 million | -1.0% |
| 1991 | 107.42 million | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 109.80 million | +2.2% |
| 1993 | 112.33 million | +2.3% |
| 1994 | 114.85 million | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 118.56 million | +3.2% |
| 1996 | 120.70 million | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 121.77 million | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 123.69 million | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 125.26 million | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 126.23 million | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 127.52 million | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 129.27 million | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 131.85 million | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 134.31 million | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 137.59 million | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 146.90 million | +6.8% |
| 2007 | 146.93 million | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 150.24 million | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 154.34 million | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 155.62 million | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 152.52 million | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 152.29 million | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 153.89 million | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 155.94 million | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 158.76 million | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 161.40 million | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 162.20 million | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 159.03 million | -2.0% |
| 2019 | 163.50 million | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 167.62 million | +2.5% |
| 2021 | 170.88 million | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 174.02 million | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 177.22 million | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 180.88 million | +2.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 106.54 million | 106.54 million | 106.54 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 115.99 million | 105.52 million | 125.26 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 138.52 million | 126.23 million | 154.34 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 157.51 million | 152.29 million | 163.50 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 174.12 million | 167.62 million | 180.88 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near WB: Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (hipc)
More education data for WB: Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (hipc)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 4.79 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 25.42 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 3.88 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 29.13 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 3.19 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 19.54 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.79 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 7.57 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.00 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 3.23 million (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (hipc)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (hipc) was 180.88 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in WB: Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (hipc)?
- The highest recorded value was 180.88 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in WB: Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (hipc)?
- The lowest recorded value was 105.52 million in 1990.
- How does WB: Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (hipc) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- WB: Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (hipc) ranks 52nd out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in WB: Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (hipc)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this WB: Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (hipc) 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release