Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Bangladesh
Bangladesh: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, urban, both sexes was 12.62 million in 2022. ▲ Rising
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Bangladesh, 1991–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Bangladesh is 12.62 million, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 14 years on record.
The figure is up 35.3% on the previous year and up 6.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Bangladesh peaked at 12.62 million in 2022 and was at its lowest, 6.31 million, in 2013.
Bangladesh ranks 2nd of 40 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Bangladesh, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 6.31 million | — |
| 2001 | 7.65 million | +21.1% |
| 2011 | 11.57 million | +51.3% |
| 2012 | 11.86 million | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 6.31 million | -46.8% |
| 2014 | 6.37 million | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 10.76 million | +69.0% |
| 2016 | 9.65 million | -10.4% |
| 2017 | 9.67 million | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 9.56 million | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 9.40 million | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 9.31 million | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 9.33 million | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 12.62 million | +35.3% |
Bangladesh compared with similar countries
- Bangladesh's 12.62 million is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 322,408, 39.2× the median. (10 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Bangladesh changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | +69.0% | 6.37 million | 10.76 million |
| 2011 | +51.3% | 7.65 million | 11.57 million |
| 2013 | -46.8% | 11.86 million | 6.31 million |
| 2022 | +35.3% | 9.33 million | 12.62 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.31 million | 6.31 million | 6.31 million | 1 |
| 2000s | 7.65 million | 7.65 million | 7.65 million | 1 |
| 2010s | 9.46 million | 6.31 million | 11.86 million | 9 |
| 2020s | 10.42 million | 9.31 million | 12.62 million | 3 |
Countries ranked near Bangladesh
More education data for Bangladesh
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 571,690 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 387,056 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.73 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.77 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 15.07 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 16.69 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.67 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0961 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Bangladesh?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Bangladesh was 12.62 million in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, urban, both sexes recorded in Bangladesh?
- The highest recorded value was 12.62 million in 2022.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, urban, both sexes recorded in Bangladesh?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.31 million in 2013.
- How does Bangladesh rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, urban, both sexes?
- Bangladesh ranks 2nd out of 40 countries with data for 2022.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, urban, both sexes rising or falling in Bangladesh?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bangladesh data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, urban, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 14 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release