Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Low Income (july 2025)
WB: Low Income (july 2025): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 159.52 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
159.52 million
Change on year
up 2.3%
Rank
55th
of 203 groups
All-time high
159.52 million
in 2024
All-time low
84.14 million
in 1990
Years of data
36
1989–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Low Income (july 2025), 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
WB: Low Income (july 2025) recorded 159.52 million for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in 2024. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.3% on the previous year and up 21.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Low Income (july 2025) peaked at 159.52 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 84.14 million, in 1990.
That places WB: Low Income (july 2025) 55th 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: Low Income (july 2025), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 84.90 million | — |
| 1990 | 84.14 million | -0.9% |
| 1991 | 85.70 million | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 87.77 million | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 89.97 million | +2.5% |
| 1994 | 91.96 million | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 94.58 million | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 96.45 million | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 97.33 million | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 98.34 million | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 100.01 million | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 101.93 million | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 103.22 million | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 104.85 million | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 107.21 million | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 109.42 million | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 111.76 million | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 119.94 million | +7.3% |
| 2007 | 120.80 million | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 122.44 million | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 124.81 million | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 127.33 million | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 124.85 million | -1.9% |
| 2012 | 127.31 million | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 128.94 million | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 130.99 million | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 132.41 million | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 133.98 million | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 134.67 million | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 137.89 million | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 142.59 million | +3.4% |
| 2020 | 146.86 million | +3.0% |
| 2021 | 149.97 million | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 152.84 million | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 155.95 million | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 159.52 million | +2.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 84.90 million | 84.90 million | 84.90 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 92.62 million | 84.14 million | 100.01 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 112.64 million | 101.93 million | 124.81 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 132.09 million | 124.85 million | 142.59 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 153.03 million | 146.86 million | 159.52 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near WB: Low Income (july 2025)
More education data for WB: Low Income (july 2025)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 18.68 million (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 12.86 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 2.47 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 22.75 million (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 3.16 % change on previous year (2022)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.88 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 43.24 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.31 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.35 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.8586 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Low Income (july 2025)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Low Income (july 2025) was 159.52 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in WB: Low Income (july 2025)?
- The highest recorded value was 159.52 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in WB: Low Income (july 2025)?
- The lowest recorded value was 84.14 million in 1990.
- How does WB: Low Income (july 2025) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- WB: Low Income (july 2025) ranks 55th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in WB: Low Income (july 2025)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this WB: Low Income (july 2025) 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