Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in Low & middle income
Low & middle income: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male was 274.37 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling
Latest (2019)
274.37 million number
Change on year
down 0.2%
Rank
3rd
of 39 groups
All-time high
320.11 million number
in 1986
All-time low
269.72 million number
in 2016
Years of data
45
1975–2019
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in Low & middle income, 1975–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
In 2019, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in Low & middle income stood at 274.37 million number.
The figure is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in Low & middle income peaked at 320.11 million number in 1986 and was at its lowest, 269.72 million number, in 2016.
That places Low & middle income 3rd out of 39 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 45 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in Low & middle income, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 287.37 million number | — |
| 1976 | 293.80 million number | +2.2% |
| 1977 | 298.73 million number | +1.7% |
| 1978 | 301.21 million number | +0.8% |
| 1979 | 303.96 million number | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 308.61 million number | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 310.99 million number | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 312.22 million number | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 314.02 million number | +0.6% |
| 1984 | 315.81 million number | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 318.09 million number | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 320.11 million number | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 319.87 million number | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 305.73 million number | -4.4% |
| 1989 | 307.46 million number | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 312.85 million number | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 312.09 million number | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 309.47 million number | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 308.94 million number | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 309.43 million number | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 310.15 million number | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 311.09 million number | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 292.56 million number | -6.0% |
| 1998 | 273.16 million number | -6.6% |
| 1999 | 273.86 million number | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 277.44 million number | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 278.88 million number | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 277.62 million number | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 273.11 million number | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 271.09 million number | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 276.56 million number | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 281.03 million number | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 283.50 million number | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 277.79 million number | -2.0% |
| 2009 | 277.47 million number | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 279.63 million number | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 281.81 million number | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 275.92 million number | -2.1% |
| 2013 | 276.47 million number | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 273.98 million number | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 275.31 million number | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 269.72 million number | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 270.36 million number | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 274.96 million number | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 274.37 million number | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 297.01 million number | 287.37 million number | 303.96 million number | 5 |
| 1980s | 313.29 million number | 305.73 million number | 320.11 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 301.36 million number | 273.16 million number | 312.85 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 277.45 million number | 271.09 million number | 283.50 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 275.25 million number | 269.72 million number | 281.81 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Low & middle income
More education data for Low & middle income
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 27.98 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.6 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1043 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 701.53 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 26.3% (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 65.3% (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 554.22 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in Low & middle income?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in Low & middle income was 274.37 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in Low & middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 320.11 million number in 1986.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in Low & middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 269.72 million number in 2016.
- How does Low & middle income rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male?
- Low & middle income ranks 3rd out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male rising or falling in Low & middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Low & middle income 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.