Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Middle Income (july 2025)
WB: Middle Income (july 2025): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 555.38 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
555.38 million
Change on year
down 0.8%
Rank
10th
of 203 groups
All-time high
822.04 million
in 1991
All-time low
555.38 million
in 2024
Years of data
34
1991–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Middle Income (july 2025), 1991–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
WB: Middle Income (july 2025) recorded 555.38 million for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 8.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Middle Income (july 2025) peaked at 822.04 million in 1991 and was at its lowest, 555.38 million, in 2024.
WB: Middle Income (july 2025) ranks 10th of 203 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Middle Income (july 2025), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 822.04 million | — |
| 1992 | 812.29 million | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 802.57 million | -1.2% |
| 1994 | 793.39 million | -1.1% |
| 1995 | 783.92 million | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 775.60 million | -1.1% |
| 1997 | 703.83 million | -9.3% |
| 1998 | 662.59 million | -5.9% |
| 1999 | 655.30 million | -1.1% |
| 2000 | 653.98 million | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 656.97 million | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 655.27 million | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 646.55 million | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 644.01 million | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 655.80 million | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 664.83 million | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 650.98 million | -2.1% |
| 2008 | 645.48 million | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 639.76 million | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 619.66 million | -3.1% |
| 2011 | 619.85 million | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 618.66 million | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 613.03 million | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 605.25 million | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 593.83 million | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 585.71 million | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 585.13 million | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 575.50 million | -1.6% |
| 2019 | 579.54 million | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 574.57 million | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 571.27 million | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 564.50 million | -1.2% |
| 2023 | 560.04 million | -0.8% |
| 2024 | 555.38 million | -0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 756.84 million | 655.30 million | 822.04 million | 9 |
| 2000s | 651.36 million | 639.76 million | 664.83 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 599.62 million | 575.50 million | 619.85 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 565.15 million | 555.38 million | 574.57 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near WB: Middle Income (july 2025)
More education data for WB: Middle Income (july 2025)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 247.51 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 161.01 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.4208 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 263.48 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.797 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 25.11 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.45 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.6028 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -0.2528 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 1.24 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Middle Income (july 2025)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Middle Income (july 2025) was 555.38 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in WB: Middle Income (july 2025)?
- The highest recorded value was 822.04 million in 1991.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in WB: Middle Income (july 2025)?
- The lowest recorded value was 555.38 million in 2024.
- How does WB: Middle Income (july 2025) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- WB: Middle Income (july 2025) ranks 10th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in WB: Middle Income (july 2025)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this WB: Middle 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