Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in East Asia & Pacific
East Asia & Pacific: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male was 25.19 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in East Asia & Pacific, 1976–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
East Asia & Pacific recorded 25.19 million number for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 44 years on record.
The figure is down 2.4% on the previous year and down 16.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in East Asia & Pacific peaked at 100.81 million number in 1977 and was at its lowest, 25.19 million number, in 2019.
That places East Asia & Pacific 22nd out of 39 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 44 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in East Asia & Pacific, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 98.82 million number | — |
| 1977 | 100.81 million number | +2.0% |
| 1978 | 100.00 million number | -0.8% |
| 1979 | 99.23 million number | -0.8% |
| 1980 | 100.48 million number | +1.3% |
| 1981 | 97.64 million number | -2.8% |
| 1982 | 97.50 million number | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 95.91 million number | -1.6% |
| 1984 | 94.92 million number | -1.0% |
| 1985 | 94.00 million number | -1.0% |
| 1986 | 92.90 million number | -1.2% |
| 1987 | 89.52 million number | -3.6% |
| 1988 | 75.36 million number | -15.8% |
| 1989 | 74.60 million number | -1.0% |
| 1990 | 78.21 million number | +4.8% |
| 1991 | 72.78 million number | -6.9% |
| 1992 | 71.84 million number | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 71.27 million number | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 69.80 million number | -2.1% |
| 1995 | 68.21 million number | -2.3% |
| 1996 | 67.13 million number | -1.6% |
| 1997 | 46.78 million number | -30.3% |
| 1998 | 45.90 million number | -1.9% |
| 1999 | 44.93 million number | -2.1% |
| 2000 | 44.04 million number | -2.0% |
| 2001 | 43.02 million number | -2.3% |
| 2002 | 41.94 million number | -2.5% |
| 2003 | 41.00 million number | -2.2% |
| 2004 | 39.62 million number | -3.4% |
| 2005 | 38.17 million number | -3.7% |
| 2006 | 36.49 million number | -4.4% |
| 2007 | 32.16 million number | -11.9% |
| 2008 | 31.20 million number | -3.0% |
| 2009 | 30.14 million number | -3.4% |
| 2010 | 30.84 million number | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 33.12 million number | +7.4% |
| 2012 | 32.05 million number | -3.2% |
| 2013 | 31.67 million number | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 29.12 million number | -8.1% |
| 2015 | 27.62 million number | -5.2% |
| 2016 | 27.16 million number | -1.7% |
| 2017 | 26.29 million number | -3.2% |
| 2018 | 25.82 million number | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 25.19 million number | -2.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 99.71 million number | 98.82 million number | 100.81 million number | 4 |
| 1980s | 91.28 million number | 74.60 million number | 100.48 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 63.69 million number | 44.93 million number | 78.21 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 37.78 million number | 30.14 million number | 44.04 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.89 million number | 25.19 million number | 33.12 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near East Asia & Pacific
More education data for East Asia & Pacific
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 174.05 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 191.34 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.4731 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0801 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 17.6% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 68.5% (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 10.94 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in East Asia & Pacific?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in East Asia & Pacific was 25.19 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?
- The highest recorded value was 100.81 million number in 1977.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in East Asia & Pacific?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.19 million number in 2019.
- How does East Asia & Pacific rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male?
- East Asia & Pacific ranks 22nd out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male rising or falling in East Asia & Pacific?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this East Asia & 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
Total number of males over age 15 who cannot both read and write with understanding a short simple statement on their everyday life.