Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in SDG: Central and Southern Asia
SDG: Central and Southern Asia: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female was 222.31 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in SDG: Central and Southern Asia, 1999–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in SDG: Central and Southern Asia is 222.31 million, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.
That represents a change of 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 SDG: Central and Southern Asia peaked at 254.50 million in 2006 and was at its lowest, 222.31 million, in 2024.
SDG: Central and Southern Asia ranks 19th 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 SDG: Central and Southern Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 238.24 million | — |
| 2000 | 235.63 million | -1.1% |
| 2001 | 239.16 million | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 240.00 million | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 241.47 million | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 242.06 million | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 251.09 million | +3.7% |
| 2006 | 254.50 million | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 254.29 million | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 252.75 million | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 252.50 million | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 237.75 million | -5.8% |
| 2011 | 242.52 million | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 246.61 million | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 244.31 million | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 242.74 million | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 238.04 million | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 232.88 million | -2.2% |
| 2017 | 232.54 million | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 231.26 million | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 235.34 million | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 233.22 million | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 230.51 million | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 227.23 million | -1.4% |
| 2023 | 224.77 million | -1.1% |
| 2024 | 222.31 million | -1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 238.24 million | 238.24 million | 238.24 million | 1 |
| 2000s | 246.34 million | 235.63 million | 254.50 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 238.40 million | 231.26 million | 246.61 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 227.61 million | 222.31 million | 233.22 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Central and Southern Asia
More education data for SDG: Central and Southern Asia
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 92.92 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 58.28 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate -1.08 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 99.66 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.3161 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.04 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 192.58 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -0.4111 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 8.99 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 2.87 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in SDG: Central and Southern Asia?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in SDG: Central and Southern Asia was 222.31 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female recorded in SDG: Central and Southern Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 254.50 million in 2006.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female recorded in SDG: Central and Southern Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 222.31 million in 2024.
- How does SDG: Central and Southern Asia rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female?
- SDG: Central and Southern Asia ranks 19th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female rising or falling in SDG: Central and 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 SDG: Central and 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.
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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