Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)
Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries): Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes was 16.31 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling
Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries), 1974–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) recorded 16.31 million number for illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 46 years on record.
That represents a change of down 4.5% on the previous year and down 23.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 28.62 million number in 1987 and was at its lowest, 16.31 million number, in 2019.
That places Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) 30th out of 39 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the bottom quarter.
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 & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 26.08 million number | — |
| 1975 | 26.80 million number | +2.7% |
| 1976 | 27.04 million number | +0.9% |
| 1977 | 27.20 million number | +0.6% |
| 1978 | 27.29 million number | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 27.40 million number | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 27.53 million number | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 27.59 million number | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 27.79 million number | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 27.94 million number | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 28.10 million number | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 28.26 million number | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 28.36 million number | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 28.62 million number | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 28.57 million number | -0.2% |
| 1989 | 28.49 million number | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 28.47 million number | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 28.22 million number | -0.9% |
| 1992 | 27.73 million number | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 27.24 million number | -1.8% |
| 1994 | 26.70 million number | -2.0% |
| 1995 | 26.12 million number | -2.2% |
| 1996 | 25.91 million number | -0.8% |
| 1997 | 25.85 million number | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 25.37 million number | -1.8% |
| 1999 | 25.15 million number | -0.9% |
| 2000 | 24.94 million number | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 25.14 million number | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 25.23 million number | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 23.99 million number | -4.9% |
| 2004 | 24.10 million number | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 23.63 million number | -1.9% |
| 2006 | 23.71 million number | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 22.28 million number | -6.0% |
| 2008 | 22.09 million number | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 21.43 million number | -3.0% |
| 2010 | 22.10 million number | +3.1% |
| 2011 | 20.44 million number | -7.5% |
| 2012 | 20.13 million number | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 20.34 million number | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 19.12 million number | -6.0% |
| 2015 | 18.71 million number | -2.1% |
| 2016 | 17.51 million number | -6.4% |
| 2017 | 17.46 million number | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 17.08 million number | -2.2% |
| 2019 | 16.31 million number | -4.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 26.97 million number | 26.08 million number | 27.40 million number | 6 |
| 1980s | 28.12 million number | 27.53 million number | 28.62 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 26.67 million number | 25.15 million number | 28.47 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 23.66 million number | 21.43 million number | 25.23 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.92 million number | 16.31 million number | 22.10 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)
More reference data data for Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 5.02 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 10.27 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 5.24 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, both sexes 6.17 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, female 6.12 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, male 6.21 years (2019)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 87.5% (2019)
- School life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes 2.08 years (2019)
- Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, adjusted gender parity 1.23 GPIA (2019)
- Teachers in primary education, male 667,681 number (2019)
All data for Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) was 16.31 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 & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 28.62 million number in 1987.
- What is the lowest illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.31 million number in 2019.
- How does Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes?
- Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 30th out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Latin America & the Caribbean (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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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.