Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)
East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male was 20.51 million number in 2019. ◆ Volatile
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries), 1976–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) recorded 20.51 million number for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 44 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.6% on the previous year and down 17.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 91.85 million number in 1977 and was at its lowest, 20.51 million number, in 2019.
East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 27th of 39 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 East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 89.82 million number | — |
| 1977 | 91.85 million number | +2.3% |
| 1978 | 91.08 million number | -0.8% |
| 1979 | 90.35 million number | -0.8% |
| 1980 | 91.50 million number | +1.3% |
| 1981 | 88.85 million number | -2.9% |
| 1982 | 88.69 million number | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 87.13 million number | -1.8% |
| 1984 | 86.18 million number | -1.1% |
| 1985 | 85.27 million number | -1.1% |
| 1986 | 84.19 million number | -1.3% |
| 1987 | 81.16 million number | -3.6% |
| 1988 | 67.30 million number | -17.1% |
| 1989 | 66.55 million number | -1.1% |
| 1990 | 70.09 million number | +5.3% |
| 1991 | 64.74 million number | -7.6% |
| 1992 | 63.83 million number | -1.4% |
| 1993 | 63.25 million number | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 61.94 million number | -2.1% |
| 1995 | 60.49 million number | -2.3% |
| 1996 | 59.53 million number | -1.6% |
| 1997 | 39.40 million number | -33.8% |
| 1998 | 38.53 million number | -2.2% |
| 1999 | 37.84 million number | -1.8% |
| 2000 | 36.98 million number | -2.3% |
| 2001 | 35.87 million number | -3.0% |
| 2002 | 35.01 million number | -2.4% |
| 2003 | 34.38 million number | -1.8% |
| 2004 | 33.42 million number | -2.8% |
| 2005 | 32.22 million number | -3.6% |
| 2006 | 30.75 million number | -4.6% |
| 2007 | 26.47 million number | -13.9% |
| 2008 | 25.74 million number | -2.7% |
| 2009 | 24.82 million number | -3.6% |
| 2010 | 24.93 million number | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 26.74 million number | +7.3% |
| 2012 | 25.87 million number | -3.2% |
| 2013 | 25.58 million number | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 23.89 million number | -6.6% |
| 2015 | 22.56 million number | -5.6% |
| 2016 | 22.20 million number | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 21.46 million number | -3.3% |
| 2018 | 21.06 million number | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 20.51 million number | -2.6% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) 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 | -33.8% | 59.53 million number | 39.40 million number |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 90.78 million number | 89.82 million number | 91.85 million number | 4 |
| 1980s | 82.68 million number | 66.55 million number | 91.50 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 55.96 million number | 37.84 million number | 70.09 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 31.57 million number | 24.82 million number | 36.98 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.48 million number | 20.51 million number | 26.74 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)
More education data for East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 159.24 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 177.79 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.5719 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0841 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 18.2% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 69.1% (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 10.06 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) was 20.51 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 91.85 million number in 1977.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.51 million number in 2019.
- How does East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male?
- East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 27th out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male rising or falling in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 44 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Total number of males over age 15 who cannot both read and write with understanding a short simple statement on their everyday life.