Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Low & middle income
Low & middle income: Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes was 501.73 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling
Latest (2019)
501.73 million number
Change on year
down 0.4%
Rank
2nd
of 38 groups
All-time high
584.70 million number
in 1987
All-time low
497.10 million number
in 2004
Years of data
45
1975–2019
Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Low & middle income, 1975–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
Low & middle income recorded 501.73 million number for illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in 2019.
The figure is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 2.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Low & middle income peaked at 584.70 million number in 1987 and was at its lowest, 497.10 million number, in 2004.
Low & middle income ranks 2nd of 38 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 45 years of available data.
Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Low & middle income, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 524.81 million number | — |
| 1976 | 536.22 million number | +2.2% |
| 1977 | 546.94 million number | +2.0% |
| 1978 | 552.37 million number | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 557.74 million number | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 565.32 million number | +1.4% |
| 1981 | 566.12 million number | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 560.29 million number | -1.0% |
| 1983 | 573.85 million number | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 575.83 million number | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 579.34 million number | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 582.01 million number | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 584.70 million number | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 560.19 million number | -4.2% |
| 1989 | 563.21 million number | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 564.75 million number | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 567.32 million number | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 568.07 million number | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 569.00 million number | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 569.75 million number | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 570.02 million number | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 570.17 million number | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 527.21 million number | -7.5% |
| 1998 | 501.86 million number | -4.8% |
| 1999 | 501.67 million number | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 498.25 million number | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 502.07 million number | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 502.99 million number | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 498.58 million number | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 497.10 million number | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 509.54 million number | +2.5% |
| 2006 | 510.65 million number | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 519.59 million number | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 515.17 million number | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 516.27 million number | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 509.37 million number | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 513.99 million number | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 513.18 million number | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 516.74 million number | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 511.88 million number | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 506.90 million number | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 503.31 million number | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 504.56 million number | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 503.76 million number | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 501.73 million number | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 543.61 million number | 524.81 million number | 557.74 million number | 5 |
| 1980s | 571.09 million number | 560.19 million number | 584.70 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 550.98 million number | 501.67 million number | 570.17 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 507.02 million number | 497.10 million number | 519.59 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 508.54 million number | 501.73 million number | 516.74 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Low & middle income
More reference data data for Low & middle income
- School life expectancy, primary, both sexes 5.72 years (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 61.84 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 57.86 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 119.71 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, female 5.66 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, male 5.79 years (2019)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 90.6% (2019)
- School life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes 1.54 years (2019)
- Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, adjusted gender parity 1.11 GPIA (2019)
- Teachers in primary education, male 9.78 million number (2019)
Frequently asked questions
- What is illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Low & middle income?
- Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Low & middle income was 501.73 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Low & middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 584.70 million number in 1987.
- What is the lowest illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Low & middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 497.10 million number in 2004.
- How does Low & middle income rank for illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes?
- Low & middle income ranks 2nd out of 38 groups with data for 2019.
- Is illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in Low & middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Low & middle income 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.