Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries
UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male was 16.18 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries, 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries recorded 16.18 million for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is down 2.8% on the previous year and down 25.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries peaked at 63.87 million in 1989 and was at its lowest, 16.18 million, in 2024.
UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries ranks 108th 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 UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 63.87 million | — |
| 1990 | 61.74 million | -3.3% |
| 1991 | 61.01 million | -1.2% |
| 1992 | 60.24 million | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 59.76 million | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 58.59 million | -2.0% |
| 1995 | 57.38 million | -2.1% |
| 1996 | 56.44 million | -1.6% |
| 1997 | 37.68 million | -33.2% |
| 1998 | 37.06 million | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 36.56 million | -1.4% |
| 2000 | 35.46 million | -3.0% |
| 2001 | 34.83 million | -1.8% |
| 2002 | 34.12 million | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 33.61 million | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 32.84 million | -2.3% |
| 2005 | 32.08 million | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 31.11 million | -3.0% |
| 2007 | 26.16 million | -15.9% |
| 2008 | 25.09 million | -4.1% |
| 2009 | 24.48 million | -2.4% |
| 2010 | 25.18 million | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 23.98 million | -4.8% |
| 2012 | 23.22 million | -3.1% |
| 2013 | 23.27 million | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 21.76 million | -6.5% |
| 2015 | 20.44 million | -6.1% |
| 2016 | 19.71 million | -3.6% |
| 2017 | 19.23 million | -2.4% |
| 2018 | 19.92 million | +3.6% |
| 2019 | 19.42 million | -2.5% |
| 2020 | 18.15 million | -6.5% |
| 2021 | 17.64 million | -2.8% |
| 2022 | 17.10 million | -3.1% |
| 2023 | 16.64 million | -2.7% |
| 2024 | 16.18 million | -2.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 63.87 million | 63.87 million | 63.87 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 52.65 million | 36.56 million | 61.74 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 30.98 million | 24.48 million | 35.46 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.61 million | 19.23 million | 25.18 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.14 million | 16.18 million | 18.15 million | 5 |
More education data for UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.69 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 76.53 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.11 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 84.59 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 2.37 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 41.16 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.59 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 42.74 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 83.90 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 1.97 % change on previous year (2024)
All data for UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries →
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries was 16.18 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries?
- The highest recorded value was 63.87 million in 1989.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.18 million in 2024.
- How does UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male?
- UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries ranks 108th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male rising or falling in UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this UNICEF: East Asia and the Pacific Programme Countries 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