Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific
East Asia & Pacific: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 79.89 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific, 1976–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific is 79.89 million number, measured in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 44 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.7% on the previous year and down 19.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific peaked at 313.14 million number in 1980 and was at its lowest, 79.89 million number, in 2019.
That places East Asia & Pacific 21st out of 39 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 44 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 306.00 million number | — |
| 1977 | 312.21 million number | +2.0% |
| 1978 | 310.93 million number | -0.4% |
| 1979 | 309.59 million number | -0.4% |
| 1980 | 313.14 million number | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 306.52 million number | -2.1% |
| 1982 | 307.29 million number | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 303.40 million number | -1.3% |
| 1984 | 301.36 million number | -0.7% |
| 1985 | 299.40 million number | -0.7% |
| 1986 | 297.67 million number | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 291.07 million number | -2.2% |
| 1988 | 249.77 million number | -14.2% |
| 1989 | 247.28 million number | -1.0% |
| 1990 | 253.87 million number | +2.7% |
| 1991 | 242.02 million number | -4.7% |
| 1992 | 239.25 million number | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 236.90 million number | -1.0% |
| 1994 | 232.88 million number | -1.7% |
| 1995 | 228.41 million number | -1.9% |
| 1996 | 225.61 million number | -1.2% |
| 1997 | 155.49 million number | -31.1% |
| 1998 | 152.37 million number | -2.0% |
| 1999 | 149.38 million number | -2.0% |
| 2000 | 147.50 million number | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 143.13 million number | -3.0% |
| 2002 | 139.60 million number | -2.5% |
| 2003 | 135.92 million number | -2.6% |
| 2004 | 132.50 million number | -2.5% |
| 2005 | 128.27 million number | -3.2% |
| 2006 | 123.03 million number | -4.1% |
| 2007 | 107.73 million number | -12.4% |
| 2008 | 104.24 million number | -3.2% |
| 2009 | 99.67 million number | -4.4% |
| 2010 | 100.27 million number | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 104.78 million number | +4.5% |
| 2012 | 101.56 million number | -3.1% |
| 2013 | 100.57 million number | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 92.41 million number | -8.1% |
| 2015 | 89.15 million number | -3.5% |
| 2016 | 87.24 million number | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 84.35 million number | -3.3% |
| 2018 | 82.09 million number | -2.7% |
| 2019 | 79.89 million number | -2.7% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | -31.1% | 225.61 million number | 155.49 million number |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 309.68 million number | 306.00 million number | 312.21 million number | 4 |
| 1980s | 291.69 million number | 247.28 million number | 313.14 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 211.62 million number | 149.38 million number | 253.87 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 126.16 million number | 99.67 million number | 147.50 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 92.23 million number | 79.89 million number | 104.78 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near East Asia & Pacific
More education data for East Asia & Pacific
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 174.05 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 191.34 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.4731 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0801 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 17.6% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 68.5% (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 10.94 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific was 79.89 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in East Asia & Pacific?
- The highest recorded value was 313.14 million number in 1980.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in East Asia & Pacific?
- The lowest recorded value was 79.89 million number in 2019.
- How does East Asia & Pacific rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- East Asia & Pacific ranks 21st out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in East Asia & Pacific?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this East Asia & Pacific 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
Total number of adults over age 15 who cannot both read and write with understanding a short simple statement on their everyday life.