Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female was 40.45 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), 1972–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
In 2019, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) stood at 40.45 million number. That is the highest value across all 48 years on record.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 4.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) peaked at 40.45 million number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 28.10 million number, in 1972.
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) ranks 27th of 39 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 48 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 28.10 million number | — |
| 1973 | 28.68 million number | +2.1% |
| 1974 | 29.28 million number | +2.1% |
| 1975 | 29.89 million number | +2.1% |
| 1976 | 30.38 million number | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 31.04 million number | +2.2% |
| 1978 | 31.60 million number | +1.8% |
| 1979 | 32.17 million number | +1.8% |
| 1980 | 32.76 million number | +1.8% |
| 1981 | 33.33 million number | +1.8% |
| 1982 | 33.91 million number | +1.7% |
| 1983 | 34.43 million number | +1.5% |
| 1984 | 34.92 million number | +1.4% |
| 1985 | 35.44 million number | +1.5% |
| 1986 | 35.76 million number | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 36.25 million number | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 36.62 million number | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 36.99 million number | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 36.27 million number | -2.0% |
| 1991 | 36.41 million number | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 36.75 million number | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 37.52 million number | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 37.75 million number | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 37.48 million number | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 37.29 million number | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 37.65 million number | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 37.67 million number | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 37.70 million number | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 37.73 million number | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 37.65 million number | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 38.41 million number | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 36.35 million number | -5.4% |
| 2004 | 36.15 million number | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 37.36 million number | +3.3% |
| 2006 | 37.37 million number | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 37.92 million number | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 37.93 million number | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 38.72 million number | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 38.29 million number | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 38.75 million number | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 36.01 million number | -7.1% |
| 2013 | 37.60 million number | +4.4% |
| 2014 | 35.37 million number | -5.9% |
| 2015 | 38.27 million number | +8.2% |
| 2016 | 37.17 million number | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 35.56 million number | -4.3% |
| 2018 | 40.37 million number | +13.5% |
| 2019 | 40.45 million number | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 30.14 million number | 28.10 million number | 32.17 million number | 8 |
| 1980s | 35.04 million number | 32.76 million number | 36.99 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 37.25 million number | 36.27 million number | 37.75 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 37.56 million number | 36.15 million number | 38.72 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 37.78 million number | 35.37 million number | 40.45 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
More education data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
- Population ages 0-14 32.7% (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 62.0% (2025)
- Number of under-five deaths, female, per capita 0.0004 units per person (2024)
- Number of under-five deaths, male, annual growth rate -2.91 % change on previous year (2024)
- Number of infant deaths, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Number of infant deaths, male, per capita 0.0004 units per person (2024)
- Number of under-five deaths, female, annual growth rate -3.3 % change on previous year (2024)
- Number of under-five deaths, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) was 40.45 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 40.45 million number in 2019.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.10 million number in 1972.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) ranks 27th out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high 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.