Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in UNICEF: World
UNICEF: World: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female was 465.86 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
465.86 million
Change on year
down 0.3%
Rank
5th
of 203 groups
All-time high
604.47 million
in 1993
All-time low
465.86 million
in 2024
Years of data
32
1993–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in UNICEF: World, 1993–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in UNICEF: World stood at 465.86 million. That is the lowest value across all 32 years on record.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 4.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in UNICEF: World peaked at 604.47 million in 1993 and was at its lowest, 465.86 million, in 2024.
That places UNICEF: World 5th out of 203 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 32 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in UNICEF: World, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 604.47 million | — |
| 1994 | 599.15 million | -0.9% |
| 1995 | 594.11 million | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 589.22 million | -0.8% |
| 1997 | 537.68 million | -8.7% |
| 1998 | 518.58 million | -3.6% |
| 1999 | 514.02 million | -0.9% |
| 2000 | 514.08 million | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 515.91 million | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 515.97 million | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 513.46 million | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 512.80 million | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 523.63 million | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 530.35 million | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 518.41 million | -2.3% |
| 2008 | 515.26 million | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 512.53 million | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 498.30 million | -2.8% |
| 2011 | 496.43 million | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 496.80 million | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 494.57 million | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 487.93 million | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 482.37 million | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 477.11 million | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 475.94 million | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 470.40 million | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 473.71 million | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 472.59 million | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 471.29 million | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 468.52 million | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 467.17 million | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 465.86 million | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 565.32 million | 514.02 million | 604.47 million | 7 |
| 2000s | 517.24 million | 512.53 million | 530.35 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 485.36 million | 470.40 million | 498.30 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 469.09 million | 465.86 million | 472.59 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: World
More education data for UNICEF: World
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -0.3082 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.5772 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 34.04 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 1.22 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 314.34 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.7455 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 336.69 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.4208 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 206.38 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 129.28 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in UNICEF: World?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in UNICEF: World was 465.86 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female recorded in UNICEF: World?
- The highest recorded value was 604.47 million in 1993.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female recorded in UNICEF: World?
- The lowest recorded value was 465.86 million in 2024.
- How does UNICEF: World rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female?
- UNICEF: World ranks 5th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female rising or falling in UNICEF: World?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this UNICEF: World 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
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release