Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries
UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female was 38.67 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries, 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries stood at 38.67 million. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.3% on the previous year and down 27.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries peaked at 158.23 million in 1989 and was at its lowest, 38.67 million, in 2024.
UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries ranks 102nd 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 the Pacific Programme Countries, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 158.23 million | — |
| 1990 | 153.35 million | -3.1% |
| 1991 | 151.79 million | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 150.12 million | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 148.37 million | -1.2% |
| 1994 | 146.16 million | -1.5% |
| 1995 | 143.90 million | -1.5% |
| 1996 | 142.11 million | -1.2% |
| 1997 | 94.24 million | -33.7% |
| 1998 | 92.65 million | -1.7% |
| 1999 | 91.40 million | -1.4% |
| 2000 | 89.69 million | -1.9% |
| 2001 | 87.93 million | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 86.15 million | -2.0% |
| 2003 | 84.13 million | -2.3% |
| 2004 | 82.47 million | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 80.55 million | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 78.36 million | -2.7% |
| 2007 | 66.84 million | -14.7% |
| 2008 | 64.50 million | -3.5% |
| 2009 | 61.86 million | -4.1% |
| 2010 | 61.40 million | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 60.09 million | -2.1% |
| 2012 | 58.13 million | -3.3% |
| 2013 | 57.74 million | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 53.43 million | -7.5% |
| 2015 | 52.09 million | -2.5% |
| 2016 | 50.15 million | -3.7% |
| 2017 | 48.06 million | -4.2% |
| 2018 | 47.49 million | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 46.09 million | -2.9% |
| 2020 | 44.16 million | -4.2% |
| 2021 | 42.80 million | -3.1% |
| 2022 | 41.32 million | -3.5% |
| 2023 | 40.01 million | -3.2% |
| 2024 | 38.67 million | -3.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 158.23 million | 158.23 million | 158.23 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 131.41 million | 91.40 million | 153.35 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 78.25 million | 61.86 million | 89.69 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 53.47 million | 46.09 million | 61.40 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 41.39 million | 38.67 million | 44.16 million | 5 |
More education data for UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.69 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 76.53 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.11 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 84.59 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 2.37 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 41.16 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.59 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 42.74 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 83.90 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 1.97 % change on previous year (2024)
All data for UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries →
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries was 38.67 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 the Pacific Programme Countries?
- The highest recorded value was 158.23 million in 1989.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female recorded in UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 38.67 million in 2024.
- How does UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female?
- UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries ranks 102nd out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female rising or falling in UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme 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