Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Lower middle income
Lower middle income: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 487.55 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising
Latest (2019)
487.55 million number
Change on year
down 0.4%
Rank
5th
of 39 groups
All-time high
524.18 million number
in 2007
All-time low
383.77 million number
in 1975
Years of data
45
1975–2019
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Lower middle income, 1975–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
In 2019, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Lower middle income stood at 487.55 million number.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 5.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Lower middle income peaked at 524.18 million number in 2007 and was at its lowest, 383.77 million number, in 1975.
That places Lower middle income 5th out of 39 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Lower middle income, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 383.77 million number | — |
| 1976 | 392.70 million number | +2.3% |
| 1977 | 399.22 million number | +1.7% |
| 1978 | 405.99 million number | +1.7% |
| 1979 | 413.13 million number | +1.8% |
| 1980 | 420.44 million number | +1.8% |
| 1981 | 430.28 million number | +2.3% |
| 1982 | 434.01 million number | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 441.42 million number | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 448.11 million number | +1.5% |
| 1985 | 454.96 million number | +1.5% |
| 1986 | 461.67 million number | +1.5% |
| 1987 | 465.58 million number | +0.8% |
| 1988 | 471.17 million number | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 476.53 million number | +1.1% |
| 1990 | 482.29 million number | +1.2% |
| 1991 | 489.27 million number | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 490.10 million number | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 493.59 million number | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 497.25 million number | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 501.50 million number | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 504.83 million number | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 509.04 million number | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 478.32 million number | -6.0% |
| 1999 | 481.71 million number | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 491.85 million number | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 496.47 million number | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 496.32 million number | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 494.21 million number | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 494.51 million number | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 511.45 million number | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 505.11 million number | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 524.18 million number | +3.8% |
| 2008 | 515.41 million number | -1.7% |
| 2009 | 514.36 million number | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 504.22 million number | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 509.50 million number | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 505.00 million number | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 505.83 million number | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 501.53 million number | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 496.62 million number | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 492.41 million number | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 489.14 million number | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 489.44 million number | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 487.55 million number | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 398.96 million number | 383.77 million number | 413.13 million number | 5 |
| 1980s | 450.42 million number | 420.44 million number | 476.53 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 492.79 million number | 478.32 million number | 509.04 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 504.39 million number | 491.85 million number | 524.18 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 498.12 million number | 487.55 million number | 509.50 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Lower middle income
More education data for Lower middle income
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 11.30 million (2024)
- Population ages 15-64 64.5% (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1181 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 343.48 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 265.94 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 29.5% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.58 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Lower middle income?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Lower middle income was 487.55 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in Lower middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 524.18 million number in 2007.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in Lower middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 383.77 million number in 1975.
- How does Lower middle income rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- Lower middle income ranks 5th out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in Lower middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lower 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.