What is the difference in illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes between Arab World and South Africa?

49.56 million number, with Arab World ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for Arab World and South Africa?

10 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2017.

Where does this data come from?

UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes (number). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Arab World vs South Africa: Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes

Arab World

52.95 million number

in 2019

South Africa

3.39 million number

in 2017

Arab World rank

19th

South Africa rank

20th

Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes over time

Arab World
South Africa

How they compare

Arab World currently reports 52.95 million number against 3.39 million number in South Africa, a difference of 49.56 million number.

That makes Arab World's figure about 15.6 times South Africa's.

Across all 10 years both countries report, Arab World has been ahead every year.

Arab World ranks 19th and South Africa ranks 20th of 38 groups.

Arab World has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Arab World	South Africa	Difference	Ahead
1980s	32.82 million number	2.74 million number	30.08 million number	Arab World
1990s	42.59 million number	3.23 million number	39.36 million number	Arab World
2000s	47.55 million number	1.95 million number	45.60 million number	Arab World
2010s	48.79 million number	1.77 million number	47.02 million number	Arab World

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes, Arab World or South Africa?: Arab World, at 52.95 million number against 3.39 million number in South Africa as of 2019.
What is the difference in illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes between Arab World and South Africa?: 49.56 million number, with Arab World ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Arab World and South Africa?: 10 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2017.
How do Arab World and South Africa rank globally for illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes?: Arab World ranks 19th and South Africa ranks 20th of 38 groups.
Where does this data come from?: UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes (number). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Individual pages

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Arab World vs South Africa: Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/illiterate-population-25-64-years-both-sexes-number/arab-world/south-africa/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/illiterate-population-25-64-years-both-sexes-number/arab-world/south-africa/">Arab World vs South Africa: Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator: Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes (number)
Unit: number
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 122 places, 2,239 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed: 21 August 2026

Total number of adults from age 25 to age 64 who cannot both read and write with understanding a short simple statement on their everyday life.