Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa (excluding High Income)
WB: Middle East & North Africa (excluding High Income): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 130.81 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa (excluding High Income), 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
WB: Middle East & North Africa (excluding High Income) recorded 130.81 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 0.1% on the previous year and up 7.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa (excluding High Income) peaked at 130.81 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 106.11 million, in 1990.
WB: Middle East & North Africa (excluding High Income) ranks 62nd of 203 groups on this measure, 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 (excluding High Income), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 109.93 million | — |
| 1990 | 106.11 million | -3.5% |
| 1991 | 107.41 million | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 106.93 million | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 106.73 million | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 108.04 million | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 108.48 million | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 109.52 million | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 110.57 million | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 111.62 million | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 112.69 million | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 113.78 million | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 114.36 million | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 115.29 million | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 111.11 million | -3.6% |
| 2004 | 112.04 million | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 113.27 million | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 118.62 million | +4.7% |
| 2007 | 119.70 million | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 117.48 million | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 117.05 million | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 118.30 million | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 121.69 million | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 120.00 million | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 121.33 million | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 122.25 million | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 121.39 million | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 125.71 million | +3.6% |
| 2017 | 126.48 million | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 128.97 million | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 130.18 million | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 130.64 million | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 130.79 million | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 130.67 million | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 130.67 million | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 130.81 million | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 109.93 million | 109.93 million | 109.93 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 108.81 million | 106.11 million | 112.69 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 115.27 million | 111.11 million | 119.70 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 123.63 million | 118.30 million | 130.18 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 130.71 million | 130.64 million | 130.81 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near WB: Middle East & North Africa (excluding High Income)
- 59 Uzbekistan 4 compare
More education data for WB: Middle East & North Africa (excluding High Income)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 2.74 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 8.74 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 3.82 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 8.80 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 1.85 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.02 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 29.02 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.80 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 32.64 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 4.06 % change on previous year (2024)
All data for WB: Middle East & North Africa (excluding High Income) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa (excluding High Income)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Middle East & North Africa (excluding High Income) was 130.81 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 (excluding High Income)?
- The highest recorded value was 130.81 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in WB: Middle East & North Africa (excluding High Income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 106.11 million in 1990.
- How does WB: Middle East & North Africa (excluding High Income) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- WB: Middle East & North Africa (excluding High Income) ranks 62nd 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 (excluding High Income)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this WB: Middle East & North Africa (excluding High Income) 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