Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female was 41.81 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, 1973–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan recorded 41.81 million number for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in 2019. That is the highest value across all 47 years on record.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 2.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan peaked at 41.81 million number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 30.02 million number, in 1973.
That places Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 26th out of 39 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 47 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 30.02 million number | — |
| 1974 | 30.68 million number | +2.2% |
| 1975 | 31.35 million number | +2.2% |
| 1976 | 31.90 million number | +1.7% |
| 1977 | 32.63 million number | +2.3% |
| 1978 | 33.25 million number | +1.9% |
| 1979 | 33.89 million number | +1.9% |
| 1980 | 34.55 million number | +2.0% |
| 1981 | 35.22 million number | +1.9% |
| 1982 | 35.86 million number | +1.8% |
| 1983 | 36.48 million number | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 37.06 million number | +1.6% |
| 1985 | 37.68 million number | +1.7% |
| 1986 | 38.06 million number | +1.0% |
| 1987 | 38.63 million number | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 39.01 million number | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 39.39 million number | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 38.67 million number | -1.8% |
| 1991 | 38.81 million number | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 39.13 million number | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 39.95 million number | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 40.19 million number | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 39.92 million number | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 39.75 million number | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 40.13 million number | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 40.13 million number | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 40.14 million number | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 40.13 million number | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 40.05 million number | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 40.72 million number | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 38.55 million number | -5.3% |
| 2004 | 38.29 million number | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 39.52 million number | +3.2% |
| 2006 | 39.53 million number | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 40.07 million number | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 40.06 million number | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 40.86 million number | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 40.42 million number | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 40.23 million number | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 37.49 million number | -6.8% |
| 2013 | 39.05 million number | +4.1% |
| 2014 | 36.81 million number | -5.7% |
| 2015 | 39.71 million number | +7.9% |
| 2016 | 38.57 million number | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 36.95 million number | -4.2% |
| 2018 | 41.73 million number | +12.9% |
| 2019 | 41.81 million number | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 31.96 million number | 30.02 million number | 33.89 million number | 7 |
| 1980s | 37.19 million number | 34.55 million number | 39.39 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 39.68 million number | 38.67 million number | 40.19 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 39.78 million number | 38.29 million number | 40.86 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 39.28 million number | 36.81 million number | 41.81 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
More education data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.65 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 3.29 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.113 units per person (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 31.7% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 63.1% (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 68.09 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 91.90 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan →
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan was 41.81 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?
- The highest recorded value was 41.81 million number in 2019.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 30.02 million number in 1973.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 26th 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?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 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.