Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in IDA & IBRD total
IDA & IBRD total: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 740.20 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling
Latest (2019)
740.20 million number
Change on year
down 0.4%
Rank
2nd
of 39 groups
All-time high
872.14 million number
in 1987
All-time low
733.79 million number
in 2017
Years of data
45
1975–2019
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in IDA & IBRD total, 1975–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
In 2019, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in IDA & IBRD total stood at 740.20 million number.
The figure is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 4.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in IDA & IBRD total peaked at 872.14 million number in 1987 and was at its lowest, 733.79 million number, in 2017.
IDA & IBRD total ranks 2nd of 39 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 45 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in IDA & IBRD total, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 777.11 million number | — |
| 1976 | 794.26 million number | +2.2% |
| 1977 | 808.86 million number | +1.8% |
| 1978 | 816.39 million number | +0.9% |
| 1979 | 824.58 million number | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 837.10 million number | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 842.84 million number | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 848.70 million number | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 853.54 million number | +0.6% |
| 1984 | 858.37 million number | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 864.79 million number | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 870.58 million number | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 872.14 million number | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 838.44 million number | -3.9% |
| 1989 | 843.13 million number | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 854.68 million number | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 852.18 million number | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 851.67 million number | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 853.84 million number | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 855.74 million number | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 857.49 million number | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 859.71 million number | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 795.22 million number | -7.5% |
| 1998 | 761.63 million number | -4.2% |
| 1999 | 763.44 million number | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 773.21 million number | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 774.84 million number | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 775.13 million number | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 768.26 million number | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 765.47 million number | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 783.05 million number | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 782.02 million number | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 785.63 million number | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 776.30 million number | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 773.36 million number | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 764.44 million number | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 764.48 million number | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 754.73 million number | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 756.62 million number | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 746.90 million number | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 748.88 million number | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 735.53 million number | -1.8% |
| 2017 | 733.79 million number | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 742.84 million number | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 740.20 million number | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 804.24 million number | 777.11 million number | 824.58 million number | 5 |
| 1980s | 852.96 million number | 837.10 million number | 872.14 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 830.56 million number | 761.63 million number | 859.71 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 775.73 million number | 765.47 million number | 785.63 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 748.84 million number | 733.79 million number | 764.48 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near IDA & IBRD total
More education data for IDA & IBRD total
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 28.51 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.61 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1022 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 707.69 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 26.0% (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 65.3% (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 561.46 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in IDA & IBRD total?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in IDA & IBRD total was 740.20 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in IDA & IBRD total?
- The highest recorded value was 872.14 million number in 1987.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in IDA & IBRD total?
- The lowest recorded value was 733.79 million number in 2017.
- How does IDA & IBRD total rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- IDA & IBRD total ranks 2nd out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in IDA & IBRD total?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this IDA & IBRD total 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
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.