Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Low & middle income
Low & middle income: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 738.95 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling
Latest (2019)
738.95 million number
Change on year
down 0.4%
Rank
3rd
of 39 groups
All-time high
870.09 million number
in 1987
All-time low
732.46 million number
in 2017
Years of data
45
1975–2019
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Low & middle income, 1975–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
Low & middle income recorded 738.95 million number for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in 2019.
That represents a change of 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 Low & middle income peaked at 870.09 million number in 1987 and was at its lowest, 732.46 million number, in 2017.
That places Low & middle income 3rd out of 39 groups with data for 2019, putting it 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 Low & middle income, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 774.91 million number | — |
| 1976 | 792.05 million number | +2.2% |
| 1977 | 806.65 million number | +1.8% |
| 1978 | 814.20 million number | +0.9% |
| 1979 | 822.41 million number | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 834.95 million number | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 840.71 million number | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 846.57 million number | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 851.44 million number | +0.6% |
| 1984 | 856.28 million number | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 862.73 million number | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 868.54 million number | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 870.09 million number | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 836.29 million number | -3.9% |
| 1989 | 841.12 million number | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 852.72 million number | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 850.27 million number | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 849.81 million number | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 852.01 million number | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 853.95 million number | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 855.74 million number | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 857.99 million number | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 793.57 million number | -7.5% |
| 1998 | 760.00 million number | -4.2% |
| 1999 | 761.73 million number | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 771.52 million number | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 773.18 million number | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 773.46 million number | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 766.58 million number | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 763.82 million number | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 781.41 million number | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 780.43 million number | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 784.34 million number | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 774.95 million number | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 772.18 million number | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 763.14 million number | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 763.18 million number | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 753.48 million number | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 755.27 million number | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 745.61 million number | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 747.62 million number | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 734.34 million number | -1.8% |
| 2017 | 732.46 million number | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 741.56 million number | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 738.95 million number | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 802.04 million number | 774.91 million number | 822.41 million number | 5 |
| 1980s | 850.87 million number | 834.95 million number | 870.09 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 828.78 million number | 760.00 million number | 857.99 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 774.19 million number | 763.82 million number | 784.34 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 747.56 million number | 732.46 million number | 763.18 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Low & middle income
More education data for Low & middle income
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 27.98 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.6 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1043 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 701.53 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 26.3% (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 554.22 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Low & middle income?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Low & middle income was 738.95 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in Low & middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 870.09 million number in 1987.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in Low & middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 732.46 million number in 2017.
- How does Low & middle income rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- Low & middle income ranks 3rd out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in Low & middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Low & middle 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.