Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in IBRD only
IBRD only: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female was 255.80 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling
Latest (2019)
255.80 million number
Change on year
down 1.7%
Rank
6th
of 38 groups
All-time high
416.85 million number
in 1986
All-time low
255.80 million number
in 2019
Years of data
45
1975–2019
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in IBRD only, 1975–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
IBRD only recorded 255.80 million number for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is down 1.7% on the previous year and down 14.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in IBRD only peaked at 416.85 million number in 1986 and was at its lowest, 255.80 million number, in 2019.
IBRD only ranks 6th of 38 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 45 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in IBRD only, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 383.89 million number | — |
| 1976 | 392.19 million number | +2.2% |
| 1977 | 399.48 million number | +1.9% |
| 1978 | 402.05 million number | +0.6% |
| 1979 | 404.95 million number | +0.7% |
| 1980 | 410.19 million number | +1.3% |
| 1981 | 411.09 million number | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 413.32 million number | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 413.77 million number | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 414.21 million number | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 415.64 million number | +0.3% |
| 1986 | 416.85 million number | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 416.31 million number | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 394.51 million number | -5.2% |
| 1989 | 394.78 million number | +0.1% |
| 1990 | 398.41 million number | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 394.50 million number | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 393.43 million number | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 393.37 million number | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 392.83 million number | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 391.32 million number | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 390.51 million number | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 342.77 million number | -12.2% |
| 1998 | 328.00 million number | -4.3% |
| 1999 | 327.07 million number | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 326.88 million number | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 325.44 million number | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 323.75 million number | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 318.53 million number | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 316.64 million number | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 323.72 million number | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 320.98 million number | -0.8% |
| 2007 | 308.78 million number | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 305.42 million number | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 299.88 million number | -1.8% |
| 2010 | 286.50 million number | -4.5% |
| 2011 | 281.18 million number | -1.9% |
| 2012 | 275.82 million number | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 275.75 million number | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 267.78 million number | -2.9% |
| 2015 | 267.69 million number | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 262.41 million number | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 259.24 million number | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 260.14 million number | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 255.80 million number | -1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 396.51 million number | 383.89 million number | 404.95 million number | 5 |
| 1980s | 410.07 million number | 394.51 million number | 416.85 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 375.22 million number | 327.07 million number | 398.41 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 317.00 million number | 299.88 million number | 326.88 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 269.23 million number | 255.80 million number | 286.50 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near IBRD only
More education data for IBRD only
- Population ages 15-64 68.1% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 21.4% (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 21.35 million (2024)
- School enrollment, primary 105.8% (2024)
- Primary education, teachers 21.35 million (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per capita 0.0043 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female 105.5% (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, male 106.0% (2024)
- Labor force, female 38.8% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in IBRD only?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in IBRD only was 255.80 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female recorded in IBRD only?
- The highest recorded value was 416.85 million number in 1986.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female recorded in IBRD only?
- The lowest recorded value was 255.80 million number in 2019.
- How does IBRD only rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female?
- IBRD only ranks 6th out of 38 groups with data for 2019.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female rising or falling in IBRD only?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this IBRD only 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
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Total number of females over age 15 who cannot both read and write with understanding a short simple statement on their everyday life.