Bangladesh vs Pakistan: Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes

Bangladesh
23.23 million number
in 2019
Pakistan
39.83 million number
in 2017
Bangladesh rank
4th
Pakistan rank
2nd

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

  • Bangladesh
  • Pakistan
010.0M20.0M30.0M40.0M198120002019

How they compare

Pakistan currently reports 39.83 million number against 23.23 million number in Bangladesh, a difference of 16.61 million number.

That makes Pakistan's figure about 1.7 times Bangladesh's.

The two have swapped places 2 times across 7 shared years of data; in 1981 it was Pakistan ahead.

Bangladesh ranks 4th and Pakistan ranks 2nd of 83 countries.

Across the 3 decades both report, Bangladesh averaged higher in 1 and Pakistan in 2.

Head to head by decade

Decade Bangladesh Pakistan Difference Ahead
1980s 19.58 million number 21.30 million number 1.72 million number Pakistan
2000s 34.70 million number 32.45 million number 2.25 million number Bangladesh
2010s 30.02 million number 37.25 million number 7.23 million number Pakistan

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes, Bangladesh or Pakistan?
Pakistan, at 39.83 million number against 23.23 million number in Bangladesh as of 2017.
What is the difference in illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes between Bangladesh and Pakistan?
16.61 million number, with Pakistan ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Bangladesh and Pakistan?
7 years are reported by both, from 1981 to 2017.
How do Bangladesh and Pakistan rank globally for illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes?
Bangladesh ranks 4th and Pakistan ranks 2nd of 83 countries.
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.

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Bangladesh vs Pakistan: Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/illiterate-population-25-64-years-both-sexes-number/bangladesh/pakistan/

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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

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.