Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in MDG: Eastern Asia
MDG: Eastern Asia: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male was 7.64 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in MDG: Eastern Asia, 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in MDG: Eastern Asia is 7.64 million, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.5% on the previous year and down 34.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in MDG: Eastern Asia peaked at 50.27 million in 1989 and was at its lowest, 7.64 million, in 2024.
MDG: Eastern Asia ranks 140th of 203 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in MDG: Eastern Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 50.27 million | — |
| 1990 | 48.54 million | -3.4% |
| 1991 | 47.77 million | -1.6% |
| 1992 | 46.99 million | -1.6% |
| 1993 | 46.20 million | -1.7% |
| 1994 | 45.40 million | -1.7% |
| 1995 | 44.58 million | -1.8% |
| 1996 | 43.80 million | -1.8% |
| 1997 | 25.12 million | -42.7% |
| 1998 | 24.54 million | -2.3% |
| 1999 | 23.93 million | -2.5% |
| 2000 | 23.33 million | -2.5% |
| 2001 | 22.74 million | -2.5% |
| 2002 | 22.13 million | -2.7% |
| 2003 | 21.51 million | -2.8% |
| 2004 | 20.86 million | -3.0% |
| 2005 | 20.21 million | -3.1% |
| 2006 | 19.57 million | -3.1% |
| 2007 | 15.71 million | -19.7% |
| 2008 | 15.10 million | -3.9% |
| 2009 | 14.50 million | -4.0% |
| 2010 | 13.93 million | -3.9% |
| 2011 | 13.35 million | -4.2% |
| 2012 | 12.77 million | -4.4% |
| 2013 | 12.22 million | -4.3% |
| 2014 | 11.64 million | -4.8% |
| 2015 | 11.10 million | -4.6% |
| 2016 | 10.59 million | -4.6% |
| 2017 | 10.23 million | -3.3% |
| 2018 | 9.82 million | -4.0% |
| 2019 | 9.45 million | -3.8% |
| 2020 | 9.07 million | -3.9% |
| 2021 | 8.71 million | -4.0% |
| 2022 | 8.35 million | -4.1% |
| 2023 | 8.00 million | -4.2% |
| 2024 | 7.64 million | -4.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 50.27 million | 50.27 million | 50.27 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 39.69 million | 23.93 million | 48.54 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.56 million | 14.50 million | 23.33 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.51 million | 9.45 million | 13.93 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.35 million | 7.64 million | 9.07 million | 5 |
More education data for MDG: Eastern Asia
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.25 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 48.26 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 2.26 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.03 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.67 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 103.27 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.6211 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 60.05 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 22.52 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 20.25 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in MDG: Eastern Asia?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in MDG: Eastern Asia was 7.64 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in MDG: Eastern Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 50.27 million in 1989.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in MDG: Eastern Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.64 million in 2024.
- How does MDG: Eastern Asia rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male?
- MDG: Eastern Asia ranks 140th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male rising or falling in MDG: Eastern Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 34.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this MDG: Eastern 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release