Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in UNICEF: East Asia and Pacific
UNICEF: East Asia and Pacific: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female was 44.98 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in UNICEF: East Asia and Pacific, 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in UNICEF: East Asia and Pacific stood at 44.98 million. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is down 3.2% on the previous year and down 26.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in UNICEF: East Asia and Pacific peaked at 174.56 million in 1989 and was at its lowest, 44.98 million, in 2024.
UNICEF: East Asia and Pacific ranks 91st of 203 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in UNICEF: East Asia and Pacific, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 174.56 million | — |
| 1990 | 169.40 million | -3.0% |
| 1991 | 167.55 million | -1.1% |
| 1992 | 165.62 million | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 163.60 million | -1.2% |
| 1994 | 160.97 million | -1.6% |
| 1995 | 158.31 million | -1.7% |
| 1996 | 156.22 million | -1.3% |
| 1997 | 107.66 million | -31.1% |
| 1998 | 105.80 million | -1.7% |
| 1999 | 104.11 million | -1.6% |
| 2000 | 102.15 million | -1.9% |
| 2001 | 100.17 million | -1.9% |
| 2002 | 98.07 million | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 95.57 million | -2.5% |
| 2004 | 93.58 million | -2.1% |
| 2005 | 91.25 million | -2.5% |
| 2006 | 88.77 million | -2.7% |
| 2007 | 76.65 million | -13.7% |
| 2008 | 73.99 million | -3.5% |
| 2009 | 71.15 million | -3.8% |
| 2010 | 71.16 million | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 69.69 million | -2.1% |
| 2012 | 67.34 million | -3.4% |
| 2013 | 66.90 million | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 61.49 million | -8.1% |
| 2015 | 59.94 million | -2.5% |
| 2016 | 57.80 million | -3.6% |
| 2017 | 55.52 million | -3.9% |
| 2018 | 54.66 million | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 53.08 million | -2.9% |
| 2020 | 50.99 million | -3.9% |
| 2021 | 49.48 million | -3.0% |
| 2022 | 47.87 million | -3.3% |
| 2023 | 46.45 million | -3.0% |
| 2024 | 44.98 million | -3.2% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in UNICEF: East Asia and Pacific changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | -31.1% | 156.22 million | 107.66 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 174.56 million | 174.56 million | 174.56 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 145.92 million | 104.11 million | 169.40 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 89.13 million | 71.15 million | 102.15 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 61.76 million | 53.08 million | 71.16 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.95 million | 44.98 million | 50.99 million | 5 |
More education data for UNICEF: East Asia and Pacific
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 47.05 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 82.61 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.02 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 91.06 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.55 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 2.08 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 45.60 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.4 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 1.73 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 8.14 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in UNICEF: East Asia and Pacific?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in UNICEF: East Asia and Pacific was 44.98 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female recorded in UNICEF: East Asia and Pacific?
- The highest recorded value was 174.56 million in 1989.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female recorded in UNICEF: East Asia and Pacific?
- The lowest recorded value was 44.98 million in 2024.
- How does UNICEF: East Asia and Pacific rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female?
- UNICEF: East Asia and Pacific ranks 91st out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female rising or falling in UNICEF: East Asia and Pacific?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this UNICEF: East Asia and Pacific 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 — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release