Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in SDG: Least Developed Countries
SDG: Least Developed Countries: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female was 138.44 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
138.44 million
Change on year
up 1.4%
Rank
44th
of 203 groups
All-time high
138.44 million
in 2024
All-time low
95.46 million
in 1990
Years of data
36
1989–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in SDG: Least Developed Countries, 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in SDG: Least Developed Countries stood at 138.44 million. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 5.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in SDG: Least Developed Countries peaked at 138.44 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 95.46 million, in 1990.
SDG: Least Developed Countries ranks 44th of 203 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in SDG: Least Developed Countries, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 96.42 million | — |
| 1990 | 95.46 million | -1.0% |
| 1991 | 97.11 million | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 98.96 million | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 100.99 million | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 102.38 million | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 104.12 million | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 105.78 million | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 106.82 million | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 106.77 million | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 108.03 million | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 109.38 million | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 110.35 million | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 112.74 million | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 114.07 million | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 115.79 million | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 117.74 million | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 126.03 million | +7.0% |
| 2007 | 126.54 million | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 128.80 million | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 130.67 million | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 128.28 million | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 126.62 million | -1.3% |
| 2012 | 131.27 million | +3.7% |
| 2013 | 129.76 million | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 130.72 million | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 128.52 million | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 125.97 million | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 126.13 million | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 127.70 million | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 129.75 million | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 132.15 million | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 133.50 million | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 134.85 million | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 136.50 million | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 138.44 million | +1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 96.42 million | 96.42 million | 96.42 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 102.64 million | 95.46 million | 108.03 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 119.21 million | 109.38 million | 130.67 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 128.47 million | 125.97 million | 131.27 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 135.09 million | 132.15 million | 138.44 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Least Developed Countries
More education data for SDG: Least Developed Countries
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 75.92 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 171.01 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.04 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 83.20 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.81 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.09 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 22.98 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 87.82 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.9918 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 39.55 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in SDG: Least Developed Countries was 138.44 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female recorded in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- The highest recorded value was 138.44 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female recorded in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 95.46 million in 1990.
- How does SDG: Least Developed Countries rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female?
- SDG: Least Developed Countries ranks 44th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female rising or falling in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: Least Developed Countries 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