Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, rural, both sexes in Colombia

Colombia: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, rural, both sexes was 796,022 in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)
796,022
Change on year
down 7.2%
World rank
20th
of 40 countries
All-time high
1.18 million
in 2006
All-time low
796,022
in 2020
Years of data
13
2005–2020

Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, rural, both sexes in Colombia, 2005–2020

0250.0k500.0k750.0k1.0M1.2M2005201220202005: 1.1M2006: 1.2M2007: 1.1M2008: 1.0M2009: 1.0M2010: 995.0k2011: 1.0M2014: 951.2k2015: 973.6k2016: 906.7k2018: 876.6k2019: 858.2k2020: 796.0k

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

Colombia recorded 796,022 for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, rural, both sexes in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 13 years on record.

That represents a change of down 7.2% on the previous year and down 20.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, rural, both sexes in Colombia peaked at 1.18 million in 2006 and was at its lowest, 796,022, in 2020.

That places Colombia 20th out of 40 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 13 years of available data.

Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, rural, both sexes in Colombia, year by year

Annual values for Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, rural, both sexes (number) in Colombia, 2005 to 2020.
Year Value Change
2005 1.11 million
2006 1.18 million +6.4%
2007 1.14 million -3.5%
2008 1.03 million -9.8%
2009 1.01 million -2.0%
2010 995,018 -1.4%
2011 1.01 million +1.9%
2014 951,239 -6.1%
2015 973,556 +2.3%
2016 906,692 -6.9%
2018 876,595 -3.3%
2019 858,198 -2.1%
2020 796,022 -7.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 1.09 million 1.01 million 1.18 million 5
2010s 939,263 858,198 1.01 million 7
2020s 796,022 796,022 796,022 1

Countries ranked near Colombia

  1. 17 Sri Lanka 1.16 million compare
  2. 18 Cambodia 1.07 million compare
  3. 19 Philippines 832,350 compare
  4. 21 Peru 636,219 compare
  5. 22 Türkiye 617,220 compare
  6. 23 Honduras 529,829 compare

See the full ranking of 40 places →

More education data for Colombia

All data for Colombia →

Frequently asked questions

What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, rural, both sexes in Colombia?
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, rural, both sexes in Colombia was 796,022 in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, rural, both sexes recorded in Colombia?
The highest recorded value was 1.18 million in 2006.
What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, rural, both sexes recorded in Colombia?
The lowest recorded value was 796,022 in 2020.
How does Colombia rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, rural, both sexes?
Colombia ranks 20th out of 40 countries with data for 2020.
Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, rural, both sexes rising or falling in Colombia?
Over the last ten years it is down 20.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Colombia data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, rural, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, rural, both sexes in Colombia. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/adult-illiterate-population-15-years-rural-both-sexes-number/colombia/

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About this data

Indicator
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, rural, both sexes (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
40 places, 374 data points, 1990–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release