Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in Middle income
Middle income: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female was 372.87 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling
Latest (2019)
372.87 million number
Change on year
down 1.0%
Rank
3rd
of 38 groups
All-time high
499.34 million number
in 1987
All-time low
372.87 million number
in 2019
Years of data
45
1975–2019
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in Middle income, 1975–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
Middle income recorded 372.87 million number for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.0% on the previous year and down 9.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in Middle income peaked at 499.34 million number in 1987 and was at its lowest, 372.87 million number, in 2019.
That places Middle income 3rd out of 38 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 Middle income, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 446.79 million number | — |
| 1976 | 456.66 million number | +2.2% |
| 1977 | 465.46 million number | +1.9% |
| 1978 | 469.64 million number | +0.9% |
| 1979 | 474.20 million number | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 481.19 million number | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 483.86 million number | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 487.74 million number | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 490.03 million number | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 492.24 million number | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 495.50 million number | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 498.40 million number | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 499.34 million number | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 478.68 million number | -4.1% |
| 1989 | 480.68 million number | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 485.77 million number | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 482.74 million number | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 483.37 million number | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 484.67 million number | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 484.88 million number | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 484.38 million number | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 484.59 million number | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 437.93 million number | -9.6% |
| 1998 | 422.76 million number | -3.5% |
| 1999 | 422.70 million number | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 427.94 million number | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 427.34 million number | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 426.45 million number | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 422.87 million number | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 421.68 million number | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 431.06 million number | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 420.83 million number | -2.4% |
| 2007 | 422.15 million number | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 416.74 million number | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 412.58 million number | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 399.96 million number | -3.1% |
| 2011 | 399.14 million number | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 393.87 million number | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 394.39 million number | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 385.60 million number | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 385.14 million number | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 376.81 million number | -2.2% |
| 2017 | 373.61 million number | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 376.50 million number | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 372.87 million number | -1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 462.55 million number | 446.79 million number | 474.20 million number | 5 |
| 1980s | 488.77 million number | 478.68 million number | 499.34 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 467.38 million number | 422.70 million number | 485.77 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 422.96 million number | 412.58 million number | 431.06 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 385.79 million number | 372.87 million number | 399.96 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Middle income
More education data for Middle income
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 510.99 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 589.09 million (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 24.4% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 66.5% (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.71 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 25.11 million (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0986 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in Middle income?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in Middle income was 372.87 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female recorded in Middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 499.34 million number in 1987.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female recorded in Middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 372.87 million number in 2019.
- How does Middle income rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female?
- Middle income ranks 3rd out of 38 groups with data for 2019.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female rising or falling in Middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this 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.