Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Upper middle income
Upper middle income: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 99.53 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling
Latest (2019)
99.53 million number
Change on year
down 3.5%
Rank
20th
of 39 groups
All-time high
339.77 million number
in 1980
All-time low
97.37 million number
in 2017
Years of data
44
1976–2019
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Upper middle income, 1976–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
Upper middle income recorded 99.53 million number for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in 2019.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.5% on the previous year and down 19.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Upper middle income peaked at 339.77 million number in 1980 and was at its lowest, 97.37 million number, in 2017.
Upper middle income ranks 20th of 39 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 44 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Upper middle income, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 330.22 million number | — |
| 1977 | 336.94 million number | +2.0% |
| 1978 | 336.30 million number | -0.2% |
| 1979 | 335.89 million number | -0.1% |
| 1980 | 339.77 million number | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 334.60 million number | -1.5% |
| 1982 | 335.59 million number | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 331.88 million number | -1.1% |
| 1984 | 328.72 million number | -1.0% |
| 1985 | 326.91 million number | -0.6% |
| 1986 | 324.59 million number | -0.7% |
| 1987 | 320.94 million number | -1.1% |
| 1988 | 279.95 million number | -12.8% |
| 1989 | 277.69 million number | -0.8% |
| 1990 | 281.73 million number | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 270.00 million number | -4.2% |
| 1992 | 266.29 million number | -1.4% |
| 1993 | 262.61 million number | -1.4% |
| 1994 | 258.84 million number | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 253.75 million number | -2.0% |
| 1996 | 250.74 million number | -1.2% |
| 1997 | 180.84 million number | -27.9% |
| 1998 | 176.53 million number | -2.4% |
| 1999 | 173.12 million number | -1.9% |
| 2000 | 170.49 million number | -1.5% |
| 2001 | 166.10 million number | -2.6% |
| 2002 | 164.80 million number | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 157.80 million number | -4.2% |
| 2004 | 155.16 million number | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 150.32 million number | -3.1% |
| 2006 | 147.24 million number | -2.1% |
| 2007 | 131.82 million number | -10.5% |
| 2008 | 128.44 million number | -2.6% |
| 2009 | 124.29 million number | -3.2% |
| 2010 | 122.65 million number | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 119.34 million number | -2.7% |
| 2012 | 111.72 million number | -6.4% |
| 2013 | 111.75 million number | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 103.67 million number | -7.2% |
| 2015 | 108.25 million number | +4.4% |
| 2016 | 97.49 million number | -9.9% |
| 2017 | 97.37 million number | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 103.16 million number | +5.9% |
| 2019 | 99.53 million number | -3.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 334.84 million number | 330.22 million number | 336.94 million number | 4 |
| 1980s | 320.06 million number | 277.69 million number | 339.77 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 237.44 million number | 173.12 million number | 281.73 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 149.64 million number | 124.29 million number | 170.49 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 107.49 million number | 97.37 million number | 122.65 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Upper middle income
More education data for Upper middle income
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0774 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 237.35 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.5256 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 233.28 million (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 13.41 million (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 19.6% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 68.5% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Upper middle income?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Upper middle income was 99.53 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in Upper middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 339.77 million number in 1980.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in Upper middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 97.37 million number in 2017.
- How does Upper middle income rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- Upper middle income ranks 20th out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in Upper middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Upper 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.