Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan
WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 132.19 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
132.19 million
Change on year
up 0.1%
Rank
60th
of 203 groups
All-time high
132.25 million
in 2021
All-time low
114.12 million
in 1993
Years of data
36
1989–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan recorded 132.19 million for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in 2024.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and up 6.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan peaked at 132.25 million in 2021 and was at its lowest, 114.12 million, in 1993.
That places WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan 60th 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: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 118.43 million | — |
| 1990 | 114.32 million | -3.5% |
| 1991 | 115.19 million | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 114.56 million | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 114.12 million | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 115.18 million | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 115.38 million | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 116.17 million | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 116.98 million | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 117.65 million | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 118.48 million | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 119.32 million | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 119.67 million | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 120.25 million | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 116.04 million | -3.5% |
| 2004 | 116.80 million | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 117.90 million | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 123.12 million | +4.4% |
| 2007 | 123.77 million | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 121.45 million | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 120.97 million | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 122.01 million | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 124.24 million | +1.8% |
| 2012 | 122.49 million | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 123.75 million | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 124.55 million | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 123.38 million | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 127.71 million | +3.5% |
| 2017 | 128.43 million | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 130.91 million | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 132.07 million | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 132.24 million | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 132.25 million | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 132.09 million | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 132.12 million | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 132.19 million | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 118.43 million | 118.43 million | 118.43 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 115.80 million | 114.12 million | 118.48 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 119.93 million | 116.04 million | 123.77 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 125.95 million | 122.01 million | 132.07 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 132.18 million | 132.09 million | 132.25 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan
More education data for WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 4.42 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 16.51 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 3.77 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 35.93 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 5.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 32.16 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 2.28 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 3.29 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 43.62 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.72 % change on previous year (2024)
All data for WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan →
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan was 132.19 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 132.25 million in 2021.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 114.12 million in 1993.
- How does WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan ranks 60th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this WB: Middle East & North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan 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
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release