Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD): Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes was 43.71 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
43.71 million number
Change on year
up 0.3%
Rank
24th
of 39 groups
All-time high
44.15 million number
in 2016
All-time low
29.66 million number
in 1971
Years of data
49
1971–2019

Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD), 1971–2019

010.0M20.0M30.0M40.0M197119952019

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

The most recent figure for illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) is 43.71 million number, measured in 2019.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 9.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) peaked at 44.15 million number in 2016 and was at its lowest, 29.66 million number, in 1971.

That places Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) 24th out of 39 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 49 years of available data.

Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD), year by year

Annual values for Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes (number) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD), 1971 to 2019.
Year number Change
1971 29.66 million number
1972 30.04 million number +1.3%
1973 30.46 million number +1.4%
1974 30.95 million number +1.6%
1975 31.48 million number +1.7%
1976 32.06 million number +1.8%
1977 32.68 million number +1.9%
1978 33.31 million number +1.9%
1979 33.99 million number +2.0%
1980 34.64 million number +1.9%
1981 35.28 million number +1.9%
1982 35.90 million number +1.8%
1983 36.80 million number +2.5%
1984 37.46 million number +1.8%
1985 38.04 million number +1.6%
1986 38.62 million number +1.5%
1987 39.16 million number +1.4%
1988 39.60 million number +1.1%
1989 40.06 million number +1.2%
1990 39.16 million number -2.3%
1991 39.52 million number +0.9%
1992 39.77 million number +0.6%
1993 39.70 million number -0.2%
1994 39.99 million number +0.7%
1995 39.59 million number -1.0%
1996 39.42 million number -0.4%
1997 39.36 million number -0.2%
1998 38.99 million number -1.0%
1999 38.82 million number -0.4%
2000 38.77 million number -0.1%
2001 38.43 million number -0.9%
2002 38.23 million number -0.5%
2003 35.59 million number -6.9%
2004 35.44 million number -0.4%
2005 37.31 million number +5.3%
2006 38.84 million number +4.1%
2007 39.29 million number +1.2%
2008 39.43 million number +0.3%
2009 39.88 million number +1.2%
2010 40.12 million number +0.6%
2011 41.09 million number +2.4%
2012 40.87 million number -0.5%
2013 41.85 million number +2.4%
2014 40.90 million number -2.3%
2015 40.55 million number -0.8%
2016 44.15 million number +8.9%
2017 43.63 million number -1.2%
2018 43.60 million number -0.1%
2019 43.71 million number +0.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 31.62 million number 29.66 million number 33.99 million number 9
1980s 37.55 million number 34.64 million number 40.06 million number 10
1990s 39.43 million number 38.82 million number 39.99 million number 10
2000s 38.12 million number 35.44 million number 39.88 million number 10
2010s 42.05 million number 40.12 million number 44.15 million number 10

Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)

  1. 21 Senegal 2.96 million number compare
  2. 22 Thailand 2.83 million number compare
  3. 23 Madagascar 2.58 million number compare
  4. 24 Benin 2.58 million number compare
  5. 25 Viet Nam 2.46 million number compare
  6. 26 Cameroon 2.16 million number compare
  7. 27 Mexico 2.16 million number compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)

All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) →

Frequently asked questions

What is illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) was 43.71 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
The highest recorded value was 44.15 million number in 2016.
What is the lowest illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
The lowest recorded value was 29.66 million number in 1971.
How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) rank for illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes?
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) ranks 24th out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
Is illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
Over the last ten years it is up 9.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) 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 Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD). Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 15 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/illiterate-population-25-64-years-both-sexes-number/middle-east-north-africa-afghanistan-and-pakistan-ida-and-ibrd/

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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.