Which has higher illiterate population, 25-64 years, male, Iran or Sub-Saharan Africa?

Sub-Saharan Africa, at 56.81 million number against 1.70 million number in Iran as of 2019.

What is the difference in illiterate population, 25-64 years, male between Iran and Sub-Saharan Africa?

55.11 million number, with Sub-Saharan Africa ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for Iran and Sub-Saharan Africa?

10 years are reported by both, from 1986 to 2016.

Where does this data come from?

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

Iran vs Sub-Saharan Africa: Illiterate population, 25-64 years, male

Iran

1.70 million number

in 2016

Sub-Saharan Africa

56.81 million number

in 2019

Iran rank

10th

Sub-Saharan Africa rank

12th

Illiterate population, 25-64 years, male over time

Iran
Sub-Saharan Africa

How they compare

Sub-Saharan Africa currently reports 56.81 million number against 1.70 million number in Iran, a difference of 55.11 million number.

That makes Sub-Saharan Africa's figure about 33.5 times Iran's.

Across all 10 years both countries report, Sub-Saharan Africa has been ahead every year.

Iran ranks 10th and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 12th of 83 countries.

Sub-Saharan Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Iran	Sub-Saharan Africa	Difference	Ahead
1980s	3.70 million number	31.53 million number	27.83 million number	Sub-Saharan Africa
1990s	2.74 million number	34.43 million number	31.69 million number	Sub-Saharan Africa
2000s	1.92 million number	43.67 million number	41.75 million number	Sub-Saharan Africa
2010s	1.79 million number	50.78 million number	48.98 million number	Sub-Saharan Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher illiterate population, 25-64 years, male, Iran or Sub-Saharan Africa?: Sub-Saharan Africa, at 56.81 million number against 1.70 million number in Iran as of 2019.
What is the difference in illiterate population, 25-64 years, male between Iran and Sub-Saharan Africa?: 55.11 million number, with Sub-Saharan Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Iran and Sub-Saharan Africa?: 10 years are reported by both, from 1986 to 2016.
How do Iran and Sub-Saharan Africa rank globally for illiterate population, 25-64 years, male?: Iran ranks 10th and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 12th of 83 countries.
Where does this data come from?: UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Illiterate population, 25-64 years, male (number). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Iran vs Sub-Saharan Africa: Illiterate population, 25-64 years, male. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/illiterate-population-25-64-years-male-number/iran-islamic-rep/sub-saharan-africa/

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<a href="https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/illiterate-population-25-64-years-male-number/iran-islamic-rep/sub-saharan-africa/">Iran vs Sub-Saharan Africa: Illiterate population, 25-64 years, male</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator: Illiterate population, 25-64 years, male (number)
Unit: number
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 122 places, 2,243 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed: 21 August 2026

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