Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean
Latin America & Caribbean: Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes was 16.48 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling
Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean, 1974–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean is 16.48 million number, measured in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 46 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.5% on the previous year and down 23.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean peaked at 28.79 million number in 1987 and was at its lowest, 16.48 million number, in 2019.
That places Latin America & Caribbean 28th out of 38 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 46 years of available data.
Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 26.26 million number | — |
| 1975 | 26.98 million number | +2.7% |
| 1976 | 27.23 million number | +0.9% |
| 1977 | 27.39 million number | +0.6% |
| 1978 | 27.48 million number | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 27.58 million number | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 27.70 million number | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 27.77 million number | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 27.97 million number | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 28.12 million number | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 28.27 million number | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 28.43 million number | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 28.53 million number | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 28.79 million number | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 28.74 million number | -0.2% |
| 1989 | 28.67 million number | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 28.64 million number | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 28.39 million number | -0.9% |
| 1992 | 27.90 million number | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 27.41 million number | -1.8% |
| 1994 | 26.87 million number | -2.0% |
| 1995 | 26.29 million number | -2.2% |
| 1996 | 26.09 million number | -0.8% |
| 1997 | 26.02 million number | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 25.54 million number | -1.8% |
| 1999 | 25.32 million number | -0.9% |
| 2000 | 25.11 million number | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 25.32 million number | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 25.41 million number | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 24.17 million number | -4.9% |
| 2004 | 24.29 million number | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 23.82 million number | -1.9% |
| 2006 | 23.90 million number | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 22.47 million number | -6.0% |
| 2008 | 22.27 million number | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 21.63 million number | -2.9% |
| 2010 | 22.29 million number | +3.1% |
| 2011 | 20.62 million number | -7.5% |
| 2012 | 20.31 million number | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 20.51 million number | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 19.29 million number | -6.0% |
| 2015 | 18.89 million number | -2.1% |
| 2016 | 17.69 million number | -6.4% |
| 2017 | 17.63 million number | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 17.25 million number | -2.2% |
| 2019 | 16.48 million number | -4.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 27.16 million number | 26.26 million number | 27.58 million number | 6 |
| 1980s | 28.30 million number | 27.70 million number | 28.79 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 26.85 million number | 25.32 million number | 28.64 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 23.84 million number | 21.63 million number | 25.41 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.10 million number | 16.48 million number | 22.29 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Latin America & Caribbean
More reference data data for Latin America & Caribbean
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 10.44 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, both sexes 6.16 years (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 5.33 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 5.11 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, male 6.21 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, female 6.12 years (2019)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 87.4% (2019)
- School life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes 2.09 years (2019)
- Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, adjusted gender parity 1.23 GPIA (2019)
- Teachers in primary education, male 685,896 number (2019)
Frequently asked questions
- What is illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean?
- Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean was 16.48 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Latin America & Caribbean?
- The highest recorded value was 28.79 million number in 1987.
- What is the lowest illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Latin America & Caribbean?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.48 million number in 2019.
- How does Latin America & Caribbean rank for illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes?
- Latin America & Caribbean ranks 28th out of 38 groups with data for 2019.
- Is illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in Latin America & Caribbean?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Latin America & Caribbean 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 46 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
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.