Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in AIMS: East Asia
AIMS: East Asia: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male was 17.55 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
17.55 million
Change on year
down 3.1%
Rank
106th
of 203 groups
All-time high
70.91 million
in 1989
All-time low
17.55 million
in 2024
Years of data
36
1989–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in AIMS: East Asia, 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
AIMS: East Asia recorded 17.55 million for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.1% on the previous year and down 28.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in AIMS: East Asia peaked at 70.91 million in 1989 and was at its lowest, 17.55 million, in 2024.
That places AIMS: East Asia 106th out of 203 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in AIMS: East Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 70.91 million | — |
| 1990 | 68.68 million | -3.1% |
| 1991 | 67.84 million | -1.2% |
| 1992 | 66.94 million | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 66.39 million | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 64.98 million | -2.1% |
| 1995 | 63.53 million | -2.2% |
| 1996 | 62.44 million | -1.7% |
| 1997 | 43.42 million | -30.5% |
| 1998 | 42.72 million | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 41.92 million | -1.9% |
| 2000 | 40.68 million | -2.9% |
| 2001 | 40.17 million | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 39.23 million | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 38.37 million | -2.2% |
| 2004 | 37.19 million | -3.1% |
| 2005 | 36.15 million | -2.8% |
| 2006 | 35.03 million | -3.1% |
| 2007 | 29.77 million | -15.0% |
| 2008 | 28.53 million | -4.2% |
| 2009 | 27.86 million | -2.3% |
| 2010 | 29.08 million | +4.4% |
| 2011 | 27.72 million | -4.7% |
| 2012 | 26.73 million | -3.6% |
| 2013 | 26.72 million | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 24.38 million | -8.7% |
| 2015 | 22.83 million | -6.4% |
| 2016 | 21.97 million | -3.8% |
| 2017 | 21.37 million | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 21.97 million | +2.8% |
| 2019 | 21.40 million | -2.6% |
| 2020 | 19.95 million | -6.8% |
| 2021 | 19.33 million | -3.1% |
| 2022 | 18.68 million | -3.4% |
| 2023 | 18.11 million | -3.0% |
| 2024 | 17.55 million | -3.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 70.91 million | 70.91 million | 70.91 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 58.89 million | 41.92 million | 68.68 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 35.30 million | 27.86 million | 40.68 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.42 million | 21.37 million | 29.08 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.72 million | 17.55 million | 19.95 million | 5 |
More education data for AIMS: East Asia
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 1.77 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 80.65 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.02 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 88.90 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.57 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 60.25 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -7.88 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 90.80 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 2.12 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.44 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in AIMS: East Asia?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in AIMS: East Asia was 17.55 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in AIMS: East Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 70.91 million in 1989.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in AIMS: East Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.55 million in 2024.
- How does AIMS: East Asia rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male?
- AIMS: East Asia ranks 106th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male rising or falling in AIMS: East Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this AIMS: East Asia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release