Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in MDG: Southern Asia
MDG: Southern Asia: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female was 222.26 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in MDG: Southern Asia, 1999–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
MDG: Southern Asia recorded 222.26 million for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 8.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in MDG: Southern Asia peaked at 254.32 million in 2006 and was at its lowest, 222.26 million, in 2024.
That places MDG: Southern Asia 20th out of 203 groups with data for 2024, putting it 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 MDG: Southern Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 237.97 million | — |
| 2000 | 235.37 million | -1.1% |
| 2001 | 238.92 million | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 239.77 million | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 241.25 million | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 241.86 million | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 250.89 million | +3.7% |
| 2006 | 254.32 million | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 254.12 million | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 252.59 million | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 252.44 million | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 237.69 million | -5.8% |
| 2011 | 242.47 million | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 246.56 million | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 244.26 million | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 242.69 million | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 237.99 million | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 232.84 million | -2.2% |
| 2017 | 232.49 million | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 231.21 million | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 235.30 million | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 233.18 million | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 230.47 million | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 227.19 million | -1.4% |
| 2023 | 224.73 million | -1.1% |
| 2024 | 222.26 million | -1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 237.97 million | 237.97 million | 237.97 million | 1 |
| 2000s | 246.15 million | 235.37 million | 254.32 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 238.35 million | 231.21 million | 246.56 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 227.57 million | 222.26 million | 233.18 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near MDG: Southern Asia
More education data for MDG: Southern Asia
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 7.57 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -0.56 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 6.70 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 2.81 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 88.16 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.205 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 94.56 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate -1.26 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 54.48 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 28.18 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in MDG: Southern Asia?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in MDG: Southern Asia was 222.26 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female recorded in MDG: Southern Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 254.32 million in 2006.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female recorded in MDG: Southern Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 222.26 million in 2024.
- How does MDG: Southern Asia rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female?
- MDG: Southern Asia ranks 20th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female rising or falling in MDG: Southern Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this MDG: Southern Asia 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release