Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 66.25 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, 1973–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 66.25 million number, measured in 2019. That is the highest value across all 47 years on record.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 4.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan peaked at 66.25 million number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 48.29 million number, in 1973.
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 26th of 39 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 47 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 48.29 million number | — |
| 1974 | 49.31 million number | +2.1% |
| 1975 | 50.35 million number | +2.1% |
| 1976 | 51.40 million number | +2.1% |
| 1977 | 52.38 million number | +1.9% |
| 1978 | 53.35 million number | +1.9% |
| 1979 | 54.35 million number | +1.9% |
| 1980 | 55.34 million number | +1.8% |
| 1981 | 56.34 million number | +1.8% |
| 1982 | 57.32 million number | +1.7% |
| 1983 | 58.42 million number | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 59.25 million number | +1.4% |
| 1985 | 60.07 million number | +1.4% |
| 1986 | 60.71 million number | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 61.52 million number | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 61.99 million number | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 62.53 million number | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 61.04 million number | -2.4% |
| 1991 | 61.19 million number | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 61.59 million number | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 62.22 million number | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 62.67 million number | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 62.16 million number | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 61.97 million number | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 62.20 million number | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 61.94 million number | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 61.85 million number | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 61.79 million number | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 61.43 million number | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 62.44 million number | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 57.21 million number | -8.4% |
| 2004 | 56.94 million number | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 59.76 million number | +4.9% |
| 2006 | 61.18 million number | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 61.68 million number | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 61.73 million number | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 63.67 million number | +3.2% |
| 2010 | 63.20 million number | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 62.61 million number | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 56.52 million number | -9.7% |
| 2013 | 58.46 million number | +3.4% |
| 2014 | 55.13 million number | -5.7% |
| 2015 | 61.40 million number | +11.4% |
| 2016 | 59.32 million number | -3.4% |
| 2017 | 57.24 million number | -3.5% |
| 2018 | 66.13 million number | +15.5% |
| 2019 | 66.25 million number | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 51.35 million number | 48.29 million number | 54.35 million number | 7 |
| 1980s | 59.35 million number | 55.34 million number | 62.53 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 61.88 million number | 61.04 million number | 62.67 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 60.78 million number | 56.94 million number | 63.67 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 60.62 million number | 55.13 million number | 66.25 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
More education data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.65 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 3.29 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.113 units per person (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 31.7% (2025)
- 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)
- Population ages 15-64 63.1% (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 68.09 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 91.90 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan →
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan was 66.25 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?
- The highest recorded value was 66.25 million number in 2019.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.29 million number in 1973.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 26th 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?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 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 — 47 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.