Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India)
MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female was 71.35 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
71.35 million
Change on year
down 0.2%
Rank
69th
of 203 groups
All-time high
80.71 million
in 2012
All-time low
62.65 million
in 1990
Years of data
36
1989–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India), 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India) is 71.35 million, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and down 9.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India) peaked at 80.71 million in 2012 and was at its lowest, 62.65 million, in 1990.
That places MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India) 69th out of 203 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 64.54 million | — |
| 1990 | 62.65 million | -2.9% |
| 1991 | 63.68 million | +1.6% |
| 1992 | 64.63 million | +1.5% |
| 1993 | 65.64 million | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 66.58 million | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 67.04 million | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 67.98 million | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 68.96 million | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 68.11 million | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 68.91 million | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 69.70 million | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 70.36 million | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 70.99 million | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 72.34 million | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 72.93 million | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 73.34 million | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 77.20 million | +5.3% |
| 2007 | 77.52 million | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 76.62 million | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 77.26 million | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 73.59 million | -4.7% |
| 2011 | 75.73 million | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 80.71 million | +6.6% |
| 2013 | 79.38 million | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 78.83 million | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 75.19 million | -4.6% |
| 2016 | 71.18 million | -5.3% |
| 2017 | 72.30 million | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 72.54 million | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 72.43 million | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 72.39 million | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 72.06 million | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 71.74 million | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 71.52 million | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 71.35 million | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 64.54 million | 64.54 million | 64.54 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 66.42 million | 62.65 million | 68.96 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 73.83 million | 69.70 million | 77.52 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 75.19 million | 71.18 million | 80.71 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 71.81 million | 71.35 million | 72.39 million | 5 |
More education data for MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 4.49 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 3.65 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.68 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate -0.7828 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 24.83 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 3.99 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 26.38 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 3.33 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 16.69 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 6.02 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India) was 71.35 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female recorded in MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India)?
- The highest recorded value was 80.71 million in 2012.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female recorded in MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India)?
- The lowest recorded value was 62.65 million in 1990.
- How does MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female?
- MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India) ranks 69th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female rising or falling in MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India) 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