Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male was 23.11 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), 1971–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
In 2019, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) stood at 23.11 million number. That is the highest value across all 49 years on record.
The figure is up 11.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) peaked at 23.11 million number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 16.90 million number, in 2004.
That places Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) 24th out of 39 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 49 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 16.91 million number | — |
| 1972 | 17.18 million number | +1.6% |
| 1973 | 17.46 million number | +1.7% |
| 1974 | 17.77 million number | +1.7% |
| 1975 | 18.07 million number | +1.7% |
| 1976 | 18.50 million number | +2.4% |
| 1977 | 18.68 million number | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 18.96 million number | +1.5% |
| 1979 | 19.25 million number | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 19.50 million number | +1.3% |
| 1981 | 19.76 million number | +1.3% |
| 1982 | 20.05 million number | +1.5% |
| 1983 | 20.46 million number | +2.1% |
| 1984 | 20.64 million number | +0.9% |
| 1985 | 20.76 million number | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 20.94 million number | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 21.10 million number | +0.8% |
| 1988 | 21.18 million number | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 21.32 million number | +0.7% |
| 1990 | 20.55 million number | -3.6% |
| 1991 | 20.57 million number | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 20.60 million number | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 20.43 million number | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 20.65 million number | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 20.41 million number | -1.1% |
| 1996 | 20.42 million number | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 20.30 million number | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 20.16 million number | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 20.09 million number | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 20.05 million number | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 19.81 million number | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 20.22 million number | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 16.94 million number | -16.2% |
| 2004 | 16.90 million number | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 18.45 million number | +9.2% |
| 2006 | 19.82 million number | +7.4% |
| 2007 | 19.68 million number | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 19.71 million number | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 20.78 million number | +5.4% |
| 2010 | 20.66 million number | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 20.89 million number | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 17.52 million number | -16.1% |
| 2013 | 18.00 million number | +2.7% |
| 2014 | 16.92 million number | -6.0% |
| 2015 | 20.47 million number | +21.0% |
| 2016 | 19.42 million number | -5.1% |
| 2017 | 18.99 million number | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 23.10 million number | +21.7% |
| 2019 | 23.11 million number | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 18.09 million number | 16.91 million number | 19.25 million number | 9 |
| 1980s | 20.57 million number | 19.50 million number | 21.32 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.42 million number | 20.09 million number | 20.65 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.24 million number | 16.90 million number | 20.78 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.91 million number | 16.92 million number | 23.11 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
More education data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
- Population ages 0-14 32.7% (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 62.0% (2025)
- Number of under-five deaths, female, per capita 0.0004 units per person (2024)
- Number of under-five deaths, male, annual growth rate -2.91 % change on previous year (2024)
- Number of infant deaths, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Number of infant deaths, male, per capita 0.0004 units per person (2024)
- Number of under-five deaths, female, annual growth rate -3.3 % change on previous year (2024)
- Number of under-five deaths, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) was 23.11 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 23.11 million number in 2019.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.90 million number in 2004.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) ranks 24th out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high 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.