Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male was 24.44 million number in 2019. ▬ Flat
Latest (2019)
24.44 million number
Change on year
up 0.1%
Rank
23rd
of 39 groups
All-time high
24.44 million number
in 2019
All-time low
18.27 million number
in 1973
Years of data
47
1973–2019
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, 1973–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
In 2019, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan stood at 24.44 million number. That is the highest value across all 47 years on record.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 7.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan peaked at 24.44 million number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 18.27 million number, in 1973.
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 23rd of 39 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 18.27 million number | — |
| 1974 | 18.63 million number | +2.0% |
| 1975 | 19.00 million number | +2.0% |
| 1976 | 19.49 million number | +2.6% |
| 1977 | 19.75 million number | +1.3% |
| 1978 | 20.10 million number | +1.8% |
| 1979 | 20.46 million number | +1.8% |
| 1980 | 20.80 million number | +1.6% |
| 1981 | 21.13 million number | +1.6% |
| 1982 | 21.45 million number | +1.5% |
| 1983 | 21.94 million number | +2.3% |
| 1984 | 22.19 million number | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 22.39 million number | +0.9% |
| 1986 | 22.64 million number | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 22.89 million number | +1.1% |
| 1988 | 22.98 million number | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 23.14 million number | +0.7% |
| 1990 | 22.38 million number | -3.3% |
| 1991 | 22.38 million number | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 22.46 million number | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 22.27 million number | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 22.48 million number | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 22.24 million number | -1.1% |
| 1996 | 22.21 million number | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 22.06 million number | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 21.81 million number | -1.1% |
| 1999 | 21.71 million number | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 21.66 million number | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 21.38 million number | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 21.71 million number | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 18.65 million number | -14.1% |
| 2004 | 18.65 million number | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 20.24 million number | +8.5% |
| 2006 | 21.65 million number | +7.0% |
| 2007 | 21.60 million number | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 21.67 million number | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 22.81 million number | +5.3% |
| 2010 | 22.77 million number | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 22.37 million number | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 19.03 million number | -15.0% |
| 2013 | 19.41 million number | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 18.32 million number | -5.6% |
| 2015 | 21.69 million number | +18.4% |
| 2016 | 20.75 million number | -4.4% |
| 2017 | 20.29 million number | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 24.40 million number | +20.3% |
| 2019 | 24.44 million number | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 19.39 million number | 18.27 million number | 20.46 million number | 7 |
| 1980s | 22.16 million number | 20.80 million number | 23.14 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.20 million number | 21.71 million number | 22.48 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 21.00 million number | 18.65 million number | 22.81 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.35 million number | 18.32 million number | 24.44 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
More education data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.65 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 3.29 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.113 units per person (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 31.7% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 63.1% (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 68.09 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 91.90 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan →
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan was 24.44 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?
- The highest recorded value was 24.44 million number in 2019.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.27 million number in 1973.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 23rd 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?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 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
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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.