Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)
Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 27.08 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income), 1974–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) recorded 27.08 million number for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 46 years on record.
That represents a change of down 5.8% on the previous year and down 20.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) peaked at 42.70 million number in 1987 and was at its lowest, 27.08 million number, in 2019.
That places Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) 31st out of 39 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 46 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 37.60 million number | — |
| 1975 | 38.71 million number | +3.0% |
| 1976 | 39.18 million number | +1.2% |
| 1977 | 39.55 million number | +0.9% |
| 1978 | 39.85 million number | +0.8% |
| 1979 | 40.22 million number | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 40.61 million number | +1.0% |
| 1981 | 40.95 million number | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 41.28 million number | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 41.56 million number | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 41.85 million number | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 42.12 million number | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 42.36 million number | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 42.70 million number | +0.8% |
| 1988 | 42.51 million number | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 42.50 million number | -0.0% |
| 1990 | 42.62 million number | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 42.09 million number | -1.3% |
| 1992 | 41.29 million number | -1.9% |
| 1993 | 40.41 million number | -2.1% |
| 1994 | 39.65 million number | -1.9% |
| 1995 | 38.71 million number | -2.4% |
| 1996 | 38.58 million number | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 38.56 million number | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 37.85 million number | -1.9% |
| 1999 | 37.67 million number | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 37.64 million number | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 38.12 million number | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 38.51 million number | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 36.43 million number | -5.4% |
| 2004 | 37.23 million number | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 36.11 million number | -3.0% |
| 2006 | 36.76 million number | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 35.44 million number | -3.6% |
| 2008 | 35.05 million number | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 34.13 million number | -2.6% |
| 2010 | 34.74 million number | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 32.79 million number | -5.6% |
| 2012 | 32.41 million number | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 32.64 million number | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 31.23 million number | -4.3% |
| 2015 | 30.90 million number | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 29.26 million number | -5.3% |
| 2017 | 29.03 million number | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 28.74 million number | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 27.08 million number | -5.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 39.18 million number | 37.60 million number | 40.22 million number | 6 |
| 1980s | 41.84 million number | 40.61 million number | 42.70 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 39.74 million number | 37.67 million number | 42.62 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 36.54 million number | 34.13 million number | 38.51 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.88 million number | 27.08 million number | 34.74 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)
More education data for Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)
- Population ages 15-64 67.7% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0886 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.215 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 55.17 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 2.79 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 57.82 million (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 22.4% (2025)
All data for Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) was 27.08 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 42.70 million number in 1987.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.08 million number in 2019.
- How does Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) ranks 31st out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Latin America & Caribbean (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
Total number of adults over age 15 who cannot both read and write with understanding a short simple statement on their everyday life.