Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in South Africa
South Africa: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male was 2.43 million number in 2017. ▼ Falling
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in South Africa, 1980–2017
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
In 2017, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in South Africa stood at 2.43 million number. That is the highest value across all 10 years on record.
That represents a change of up 175.8% on the previous year and up 56.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in South Africa peaked at 2.43 million number in 2017 and was at its lowest, 881,069 number, in 2015.
That places South Africa 15th out of 87 countries with data for 2017, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 10 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in South Africa, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1.88 million number | — |
| 1996 | 2.07 million number | +10.5% |
| 2007 | 1.55 million number | -25.1% |
| 2009 | 1.02 million number | -34.5% |
| 2010 | 1.03 million number | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 1.03 million number | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 916,367 number | -11.0% |
| 2014 | 887,679 number | -3.1% |
| 2015 | 881,069 number | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 2.43 million number | +175.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.88 million number | 1.88 million number | 1.88 million number | 1 |
| 1990s | 2.07 million number | 2.07 million number | 2.07 million number | 1 |
| 2000s | 1.29 million number | 1.02 million number | 1.55 million number | 2 |
| 2010s | 1.20 million number | 881,069 number | 2.43 million number | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More education data for South Africa
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 181,739 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 339,638 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 410,708 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 407,696 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.50 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.52 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.119 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in South Africa?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in South Africa was 2.43 million number in 2017, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 2.43 million number in 2017.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 881,069 number in 2015.
- How does South Africa rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male?
- South Africa ranks 15th out of 87 countries with data for 2017.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 56.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa 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.