Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)

Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries): Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes was 1.51 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling

Latest (2019)
1.51 million number
Change on year
down 3.3%
Rank
35th
of 39 groups
All-time high
8.33 million number
in 1983
All-time low
1.51 million number
in 2019
Years of data
37
1983–2019

Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries), 1983–2019

2.0M4.0M6.0M8.0M1983200120191983: 8.3M number1984: 7.1M number1985: 7.1M number1986: 7.0M number1987: 6.9M number1988: 6.7M number1989: 6.8M number1990: 6.6M number1991: 6.5M number1992: 6.3M number1993: 6.2M number1994: 6.0M number1995: 5.9M number1996: 5.7M number1997: 5.5M number1998: 5.3M number1999: 5.1M number2000: 5.2M number2001: 5.0M number2002: 4.8M number2003: 4.6M number2004: 4.4M number2005: 4.1M number2006: 4.2M number2007: 4.1M number2008: 4.1M number2009: 3.3M number2010: 2.5M number2011: 2.1M number2012: 1.9M number2013: 1.9M number2014: 1.8M number2015: 1.8M number2016: 1.7M number2017: 1.6M number2018: 1.6M number2019: 1.5M number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) recorded 1.51 million number for illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 37 years on record.

The figure is down 3.3% on the previous year and down 53.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 8.33 million number in 1983 and was at its lowest, 1.51 million number, in 2019.

Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 35th of 39 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 37 years of available data.

Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year

Annual values for Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes (number) in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries), 1983 to 2019.
Year number Change
1983 8.33 million number
1984 7.13 million number -14.4%
1985 7.07 million number -0.8%
1986 6.97 million number -1.5%
1987 6.86 million number -1.6%
1988 6.75 million number -1.6%
1989 6.83 million number +1.2%
1990 6.63 million number -2.9%
1991 6.52 million number -1.7%
1992 6.33 million number -2.9%
1993 6.17 million number -2.5%
1994 6.02 million number -2.5%
1995 5.86 million number -2.6%
1996 5.68 million number -3.2%
1997 5.51 million number -3.0%
1998 5.31 million number -3.5%
1999 5.15 million number -3.1%
2000 5.18 million number +0.6%
2001 4.96 million number -4.2%
2002 4.76 million number -4.1%
2003 4.60 million number -3.3%
2004 4.36 million number -5.1%
2005 4.07 million number -6.7%
2006 4.19 million number +3.0%
2007 4.09 million number -2.5%
2008 4.12 million number +0.8%
2009 3.26 million number -20.9%
2010 2.53 million number -22.6%
2011 2.12 million number -15.9%
2012 1.94 million number -8.8%
2013 1.85 million number -4.2%
2014 1.80 million number -3.0%
2015 1.76 million number -2.3%
2016 1.68 million number -4.3%
2017 1.62 million number -3.8%
2018 1.56 million number -3.3%
2019 1.51 million number -3.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 7.13 million number 6.75 million number 8.33 million number 7
1990s 5.92 million number 5.15 million number 6.63 million number 10
2000s 4.36 million number 3.26 million number 5.18 million number 10
2010s 1.84 million number 1.51 million number 2.53 million number 10

Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)

  1. 32 Guatemala 1.27 million number compare
  2. 33 Tunisia 1.12 million number compare
  3. 34 Togo 1.06 million number compare
  4. 35 Colombia 1.05 million number compare
  5. 36 Türkiye 992,371 number compare
  6. 37 Central African Republic 915,299 number compare
  7. 38 Zambia 836,095 number compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)

All data for Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) →

Frequently asked questions

What is illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) was 1.51 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
The highest recorded value was 8.33 million number in 1983.
What is the lowest illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
The lowest recorded value was 1.51 million number in 2019.
How does Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes?
Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 35th out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
Is illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Over the last ten years it is down 53.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries). Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 04 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/illiterate-population-25-64-years-both-sexes-number/europe-and-central-asia-ida-and-ibrd-countries/

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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.