Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420)
ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female was 223.65 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420), 1999–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420) is 223.65 million, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.
The figure is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 8.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420) peaked at 259.50 million in 2006 and was at its lowest, 223.65 million, in 2024.
ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420) ranks 18th of 203 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 243.37 million | — |
| 2000 | 240.69 million | -1.1% |
| 2001 | 244.19 million | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 244.99 million | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 246.43 million | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 247.01 million | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 255.89 million | +3.6% |
| 2006 | 259.50 million | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 259.19 million | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 257.60 million | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 256.37 million | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 240.94 million | -6.0% |
| 2011 | 245.15 million | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 248.91 million | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 246.49 million | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 244.86 million | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 240.08 million | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 234.80 million | -2.2% |
| 2017 | 234.39 million | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 233.04 million | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 236.94 million | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 234.79 million | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 232.04 million | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 228.72 million | -1.4% |
| 2023 | 226.18 million | -1.1% |
| 2024 | 223.65 million | -1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 243.37 million | 243.37 million | 243.37 million | 1 |
| 2000s | 251.19 million | 240.69 million | 259.50 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 240.56 million | 233.04 million | 248.91 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 229.08 million | 223.65 million | 234.79 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420)
More education data for ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -0.5261 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 100.71 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.1925 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 93.84 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 2.69 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.01 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 108.65 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 3.99 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 4.46 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate -1.19 % change on previous year (2024)
All data for ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420) was 223.65 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female recorded in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420)?
- The highest recorded value was 259.50 million in 2006.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female recorded in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420)?
- The lowest recorded value was 223.65 million in 2024.
- How does ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female?
- ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420) ranks 18th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female rising or falling in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420) data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release