Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in Low & middle income
Low & middle income: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female was 464.58 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling
Latest (2019)
464.58 million number
Change on year
down 0.4%
Rank
3rd
of 39 groups
All-time high
550.22 million number
in 1987
All-time low
462.11 million number
in 2017
Years of data
45
1975–2019
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in Low & middle income, 1975–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
In 2019, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in Low & middle income stood at 464.58 million number.
That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and down 6.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in Low & middle income peaked at 550.22 million number in 1987 and was at its lowest, 462.11 million number, in 2017.
That places Low & middle income 3rd out of 39 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 45 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in Low & middle income, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 487.54 million number | — |
| 1976 | 498.25 million number | +2.2% |
| 1977 | 507.92 million number | +1.9% |
| 1978 | 512.99 million number | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 518.45 million number | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 526.33 million number | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 529.72 million number | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 534.35 million number | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 537.42 million number | +0.6% |
| 1984 | 540.48 million number | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 544.64 million number | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 548.43 million number | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 550.22 million number | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 530.57 million number | -3.6% |
| 1989 | 533.66 million number | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 539.87 million number | +1.2% |
| 1991 | 538.18 million number | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 540.34 million number | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 543.07 million number | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 544.52 million number | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 545.59 million number | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 546.89 million number | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 501.02 million number | -8.4% |
| 1998 | 486.85 million number | -2.8% |
| 1999 | 487.87 million number | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 494.08 million number | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 494.30 million number | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 495.83 million number | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 493.47 million number | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 492.74 million number | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 504.86 million number | +2.5% |
| 2006 | 499.40 million number | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 500.83 million number | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 497.16 million number | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 494.71 million number | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 483.51 million number | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 481.37 million number | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 477.56 million number | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 478.80 million number | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 471.63 million number | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 472.32 million number | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 464.62 million number | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 462.11 million number | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 466.61 million number | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 464.58 million number | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 505.03 million number | 487.54 million number | 518.45 million number | 5 |
| 1980s | 537.58 million number | 526.33 million number | 550.22 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 527.42 million number | 486.85 million number | 546.89 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 496.74 million number | 492.74 million number | 504.86 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 472.31 million number | 462.11 million number | 483.51 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Low & middle income
More education data for Low & middle income
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 27.98 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.6 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1043 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 701.53 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 26.3% (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 65.3% (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 554.22 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in Low & middle income?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in Low & middle income was 464.58 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female recorded in Low & middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 550.22 million number in 1987.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female recorded in Low & middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 462.11 million number in 2017.
- How does Low & middle income rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female?
- Low & middle income ranks 3rd out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female rising or falling in Low & middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Low & middle income 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
Total number of females over age 15 who cannot both read and write with understanding a short simple statement on their everyday life.