Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India)
MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male was 42.43 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
42.43 million
Change on year
down 0.6%
Rank
75th
of 203 groups
All-time high
52.86 million
in 2007
All-time low
42.43 million
in 2024
Years of data
36
1989–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India), 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India) stood at 42.43 million. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is down 0.6% on the previous year and down 15.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India) peaked at 52.86 million in 2007 and was at its lowest, 42.43 million, in 2024.
MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India) ranks 75th of 203 groups on this measure, 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 MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 49.12 million | — |
| 1990 | 47.68 million | -2.9% |
| 1991 | 48.59 million | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 47.60 million | -2.0% |
| 1993 | 46.44 million | -2.4% |
| 1994 | 47.02 million | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 47.39 million | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 47.98 million | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 48.61 million | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 47.28 million | -2.7% |
| 1999 | 47.77 million | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 48.32 million | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 48.85 million | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 49.15 million | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 47.22 million | -3.9% |
| 2004 | 47.49 million | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 47.72 million | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 52.26 million | +9.5% |
| 2007 | 52.86 million | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 51.73 million | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 51.41 million | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 46.07 million | -10.4% |
| 2011 | 48.80 million | +5.9% |
| 2012 | 51.68 million | +5.9% |
| 2013 | 49.85 million | -3.6% |
| 2014 | 50.18 million | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 46.30 million | -7.7% |
| 2016 | 42.44 million | -8.3% |
| 2017 | 42.64 million | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 43.93 million | +3.0% |
| 2019 | 44.20 million | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 44.27 million | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 43.62 million | -1.5% |
| 2022 | 42.93 million | -1.6% |
| 2023 | 42.67 million | -0.6% |
| 2024 | 42.43 million | -0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 49.12 million | 49.12 million | 49.12 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 47.63 million | 46.44 million | 48.61 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 49.70 million | 47.22 million | 52.86 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 46.61 million | 42.44 million | 51.68 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 43.18 million | 42.43 million | 44.27 million | 5 |
More education data for MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 4.49 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 3.65 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.68 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate -0.7828 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 24.83 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 3.99 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 26.38 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 3.33 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 16.69 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 6.02 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India) was 42.43 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India)?
- The highest recorded value was 52.86 million in 2007.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India)?
- The lowest recorded value was 42.43 million in 2024.
- How does MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male?
- MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India) ranks 75th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male rising or falling in MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this MDG: Southern Asia (excluding India) 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