Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Late-demographic Dividend
WB: Late-demographic Dividend: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 60.53 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Late-demographic Dividend, 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Late-demographic Dividend stood at 60.53 million. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is down 3.3% on the previous year and down 27.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Late-demographic Dividend peaked at 244.62 million in 1989 and was at its lowest, 60.53 million, in 2024.
That places WB: Late-demographic Dividend 98th out of 203 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Late-demographic Dividend, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 244.62 million | — |
| 1990 | 237.49 million | -2.9% |
| 1991 | 233.13 million | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 229.10 million | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 224.96 million | -1.8% |
| 1994 | 220.75 million | -1.9% |
| 1995 | 216.42 million | -2.0% |
| 1996 | 212.67 million | -1.7% |
| 1997 | 145.34 million | -31.7% |
| 1998 | 141.97 million | -2.3% |
| 1999 | 139.18 million | -2.0% |
| 2000 | 136.63 million | -1.8% |
| 2001 | 133.53 million | -2.3% |
| 2002 | 130.67 million | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 126.18 million | -3.4% |
| 2004 | 123.54 million | -2.1% |
| 2005 | 120.67 million | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 117.58 million | -2.6% |
| 2007 | 101.73 million | -13.5% |
| 2008 | 98.97 million | -2.7% |
| 2009 | 95.23 million | -3.8% |
| 2010 | 93.61 million | -1.7% |
| 2011 | 87.53 million | -6.5% |
| 2012 | 84.79 million | -3.1% |
| 2013 | 84.06 million | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 83.13 million | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 80.89 million | -2.7% |
| 2016 | 77.39 million | -4.3% |
| 2017 | 74.87 million | -3.2% |
| 2018 | 72.59 million | -3.1% |
| 2019 | 70.61 million | -2.7% |
| 2020 | 68.61 million | -2.8% |
| 2021 | 66.57 million | -3.0% |
| 2022 | 64.50 million | -3.1% |
| 2023 | 62.61 million | -2.9% |
| 2024 | 60.53 million | -3.3% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Late-demographic Dividend changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | -31.7% | 212.67 million | 145.34 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 244.62 million | 244.62 million | 244.62 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 200.10 million | 139.18 million | 237.49 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 118.47 million | 95.23 million | 136.63 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 80.95 million | 70.61 million | 93.61 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 64.56 million | 60.53 million | 68.61 million | 5 |
More education data for WB: Late-demographic Dividend
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 96.84 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.02 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 50.02 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 10.38 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.35 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.3035 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 8.02 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 1.33 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.52 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 92.72 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Late-demographic Dividend?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Late-demographic Dividend was 60.53 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in WB: Late-demographic Dividend?
- The highest recorded value was 244.62 million in 1989.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in WB: Late-demographic Dividend?
- The lowest recorded value was 60.53 million in 2024.
- How does WB: Late-demographic Dividend rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- WB: Late-demographic Dividend ranks 98th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in WB: Late-demographic Dividend?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this WB: Late-demographic Dividend 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