Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 63.56 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), 1972–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
In 2019, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) stood at 63.56 million number. That is the highest value across all 48 years on record.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 6.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) peaked at 63.56 million number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 45.28 million number, in 1972.
That places Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) 27th out of 39 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 48 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 45.28 million number | — |
| 1973 | 46.14 million number | +1.9% |
| 1974 | 47.05 million number | +2.0% |
| 1975 | 47.96 million number | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 48.88 million number | +1.9% |
| 1977 | 49.73 million number | +1.7% |
| 1978 | 50.55 million number | +1.7% |
| 1979 | 51.42 million number | +1.7% |
| 1980 | 52.26 million number | +1.6% |
| 1981 | 53.09 million number | +1.6% |
| 1982 | 53.96 million number | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 54.89 million number | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 55.56 million number | +1.2% |
| 1985 | 56.20 million number | +1.2% |
| 1986 | 56.69 million number | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 57.35 million number | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 57.79 million number | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 58.31 million number | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 56.82 million number | -2.6% |
| 1991 | 56.98 million number | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 57.35 million number | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 57.95 million number | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 58.40 million number | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 57.89 million number | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 57.71 million number | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 57.96 million number | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 57.83 million number | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 57.79 million number | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 57.78 million number | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 57.46 million number | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 58.63 million number | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 53.29 million number | -9.1% |
| 2004 | 53.05 million number | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 55.81 million number | +5.2% |
| 2006 | 57.19 million number | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 57.60 million number | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 57.63 million number | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 59.50 million number | +3.2% |
| 2010 | 58.94 million number | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 59.64 million number | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 53.53 million number | -10.2% |
| 2013 | 55.60 million number | +3.9% |
| 2014 | 52.30 million number | -5.9% |
| 2015 | 58.74 million number | +12.3% |
| 2016 | 56.59 million number | -3.7% |
| 2017 | 54.55 million number | -3.6% |
| 2018 | 63.47 million number | +16.4% |
| 2019 | 63.56 million number | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 48.38 million number | 45.28 million number | 51.42 million number | 8 |
| 1980s | 55.61 million number | 52.26 million number | 58.31 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 57.67 million number | 56.82 million number | 58.40 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 56.79 million number | 53.05 million number | 59.50 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 57.69 million number | 52.30 million number | 63.56 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
More education data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
- Population ages 0-14 32.7% (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 62.0% (2025)
- Number of under-five deaths, female, per capita 0.0004 units per person (2024)
- Number of under-five deaths, male, annual growth rate -2.91 % change on previous year (2024)
- Number of infant deaths, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Number of infant deaths, male, per capita 0.0004 units per person (2024)
- Number of under-five deaths, female, annual growth rate -3.3 % change on previous year (2024)
- Number of under-five deaths, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) was 63.56 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 63.56 million number in 2019.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.28 million number in 1972.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) ranks 27th out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (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.