Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420)
ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male was 124.95 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420), 1999–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420) is 124.95 million, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.
The figure is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 10.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420) peaked at 144.01 million in 2007 and was at its lowest, 124.95 million, in 2024.
That places ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420) 20th out of 203 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 140.10 million | — |
| 2000 | 138.46 million | -1.2% |
| 2001 | 140.41 million | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 140.72 million | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 138.79 million | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 139.03 million | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 139.73 million | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 143.92 million | +3.0% |
| 2007 | 144.01 million | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 142.36 million | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 141.45 million | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 135.98 million | -3.9% |
| 2011 | 139.02 million | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 141.35 million | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 138.99 million | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 138.81 million | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 134.40 million | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 129.99 million | -3.3% |
| 2017 | 129.49 million | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 130.05 million | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 134.36 million | +3.3% |
| 2020 | 133.09 million | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 130.88 million | -1.7% |
| 2022 | 128.34 million | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 126.64 million | -1.3% |
| 2024 | 124.95 million | -1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 140.10 million | 140.10 million | 140.10 million | 1 |
| 2000s | 140.89 million | 138.46 million | 144.01 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 135.24 million | 129.49 million | 141.35 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 128.78 million | 124.95 million | 133.09 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420)
More education data for ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -0.5261 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 100.71 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.1925 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 93.84 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 2.69 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.01 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 108.65 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 3.99 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 4.46 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate -1.19 % change on previous year (2024)
All data for ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420) was 124.95 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420)?
- The highest recorded value was 144.01 million in 2007.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420)?
- The lowest recorded value was 124.95 million in 2024.
- How does ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male?
- ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420) ranks 20th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male rising or falling in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420) 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