Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in UIS: East Asia and the Pacific
UIS: East Asia and the Pacific: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male was 20.22 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in UIS: East Asia and the Pacific, 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in UIS: East Asia and the Pacific stood at 20.22 million. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.6% on the previous year and down 23.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in UIS: East Asia and the Pacific peaked at 72.65 million in 1989 and was at its lowest, 20.22 million, in 2024.
That places UIS: East Asia and the Pacific 97th 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 UIS: East Asia and the Pacific, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 72.65 million | — |
| 1990 | 70.41 million | -3.1% |
| 1991 | 69.56 million | -1.2% |
| 1992 | 68.68 million | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 68.13 million | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 66.72 million | -2.1% |
| 1995 | 65.28 million | -2.2% |
| 1996 | 64.18 million | -1.7% |
| 1997 | 45.15 million | -29.6% |
| 1998 | 44.46 million | -1.5% |
| 1999 | 43.65 million | -1.8% |
| 2000 | 42.42 million | -2.8% |
| 2001 | 41.93 million | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 41.00 million | -2.2% |
| 2003 | 40.16 million | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 39.01 million | -2.9% |
| 2005 | 37.99 million | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 36.90 million | -2.9% |
| 2007 | 31.67 million | -14.2% |
| 2008 | 30.47 million | -3.8% |
| 2009 | 29.84 million | -2.1% |
| 2010 | 31.08 million | +4.2% |
| 2011 | 29.76 million | -4.3% |
| 2012 | 28.80 million | -3.2% |
| 2013 | 28.82 million | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 26.55 million | -7.9% |
| 2015 | 25.10 million | -5.4% |
| 2016 | 24.28 million | -3.3% |
| 2017 | 23.73 million | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 24.39 million | +2.8% |
| 2019 | 23.86 million | -2.2% |
| 2020 | 22.46 million | -5.9% |
| 2021 | 21.87 million | -2.6% |
| 2022 | 21.26 million | -2.8% |
| 2023 | 20.76 million | -2.4% |
| 2024 | 20.22 million | -2.6% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in UIS: East Asia and the Pacific changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | -29.6% | 64.18 million | 45.15 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 72.65 million | 72.65 million | 72.65 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 60.62 million | 43.65 million | 70.41 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 37.14 million | 29.84 million | 42.42 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.64 million | 23.73 million | 31.08 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.32 million | 20.22 million | 22.46 million | 5 |
More education data for UIS: East Asia and the Pacific
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 47.14 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 82.57 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 91.04 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.54 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 2.09 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 45.71 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.4 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 1.74 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 8.15 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in UIS: East Asia and the Pacific?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in UIS: East Asia and the Pacific was 20.22 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in UIS: East Asia and the Pacific?
- The highest recorded value was 72.65 million in 1989.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in UIS: East Asia and the Pacific?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.22 million in 2024.
- How does UIS: East Asia and the Pacific rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male?
- UIS: East Asia and the Pacific ranks 97th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male rising or falling in UIS: East Asia and the Pacific?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this UIS: East Asia and the Pacific 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