Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Latin America & Caribbean (ida & Ibrd)
WB: Latin America & Caribbean (ida & Ibrd): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 25.41 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Latin America & Caribbean (ida & Ibrd), 2003–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
WB: Latin America & Caribbean (ida & Ibrd) recorded 25.41 million for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 22 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.0% on the previous year and down 14.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Latin America & Caribbean (ida & Ibrd) peaked at 38.53 million in 2003 and was at its lowest, 25.41 million, in 2024.
WB: Latin America & Caribbean (ida & Ibrd) ranks 131st of 203 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Latin America & Caribbean (ida & Ibrd), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 38.53 million | — |
| 2004 | 37.89 million | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 38.41 million | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 38.02 million | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 35.04 million | -7.8% |
| 2008 | 34.21 million | -2.4% |
| 2009 | 33.83 million | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 34.58 million | +2.2% |
| 2011 | 31.94 million | -7.6% |
| 2012 | 30.97 million | -3.0% |
| 2013 | 31.58 million | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 29.85 million | -5.5% |
| 2015 | 29.68 million | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 28.09 million | -5.3% |
| 2017 | 28.37 million | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 27.88 million | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 27.44 million | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 27.52 million | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 26.98 million | -2.0% |
| 2022 | 26.37 million | -2.2% |
| 2023 | 25.94 million | -1.6% |
| 2024 | 25.41 million | -2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 36.56 million | 33.83 million | 38.53 million | 7 |
| 2010s | 30.04 million | 27.44 million | 34.58 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.45 million | 25.41 million | 27.52 million | 5 |
More education data for WB: Latin America & Caribbean (ida & Ibrd)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate -0.3032 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 30.90 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.4878 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 31.44 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 3.11 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 3.22 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.6094 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 62.34 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 60.53 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -0.1513 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Latin America & Caribbean (ida & Ibrd)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Latin America & Caribbean (ida & Ibrd) was 25.41 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in WB: Latin America & Caribbean (ida & Ibrd)?
- The highest recorded value was 38.53 million in 2003.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in WB: Latin America & Caribbean (ida & Ibrd)?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.41 million in 2024.
- How does WB: Latin America & Caribbean (ida & Ibrd) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- WB: Latin America & Caribbean (ida & Ibrd) ranks 131st out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in WB: Latin America & Caribbean (ida & Ibrd)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this WB: Latin America & Caribbean (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