Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in IDA total

IDA total: Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes was 237.56 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
237.56 million number
Change on year
up 1.6%
Rank
10th
of 39 groups
All-time high
237.56 million number
in 2019
All-time low
130.79 million number
in 1981
Years of data
39
1981–2019

Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in IDA total, 1981–2019

050.0M100.0M150.0M200.0M250.0M1981200020191981: 130.8M number1982: 133.3M number1983: 135.9M number1984: 138.5M number1985: 141.3M number1986: 143.8M number1987: 146.2M number1988: 148.4M number1989: 151.5M number1990: 154.4M number1991: 156.7M number1992: 159.3M number1993: 161.4M number1994: 163.7M number1995: 166.7M number1996: 168.9M number1997: 170.7M number1998: 170.6M number1999: 172.8M number2000: 178.8M number2001: 180.4M number2002: 183.8M number2003: 185.9M number2004: 188.5M number2005: 194.1M number2006: 193.6M number2007: 210.1M number2008: 208.9M number2009: 213.5M number2010: 216.8M number2011: 223.4M number2012: 225.1M number2013: 229.1M number2014: 230.7M number2015: 230.3M number2016: 227.5M number2017: 231.2M number2018: 233.8M number2019: 237.6M number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

The most recent figure for illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in IDA total is 237.56 million number, measured in 2019. That is the highest value across all 39 years on record.

That represents a change of up 1.6% on the previous year and up 11.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in IDA total peaked at 237.56 million number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 130.79 million number, in 1981.

That places IDA total 10th out of 39 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 39 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 141.09 million number 130.79 million number 151.55 million number 9
1990s 164.53 million number 154.39 million number 172.78 million number 10
2000s 193.75 million number 178.82 million number 213.50 million number 10
2010s 228.53 million number 216.80 million number 237.56 million number 10

Countries ranked near IDA total

  1. 7 Brazil 6.31 million number compare
  2. 8 Iran 5.49 million number compare
  3. 9 Morocco 5.09 million number compare
  4. 10 Cote d'Ivoire 4.98 million number compare
  5. 11 Nepal 4.56 million number compare
  6. 12 Indonesia 4.38 million number compare
  7. 13 Burkina Faso 4.31 million number compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for IDA total

All data for IDA total →

Frequently asked questions

What is illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in IDA total?
Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in IDA total was 237.56 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in IDA total?
The highest recorded value was 237.56 million number in 2019.
What is the lowest illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in IDA total?
The lowest recorded value was 130.79 million number in 1981.
How does IDA total rank for illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes?
IDA total ranks 10th out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
Is illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in IDA total?
Over the last ten years it is up 11.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this IDA total 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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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.