Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Singapore

Singapore: Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes was 33,978 number in 2018. β—† Volatile

Latest (2018)
33,978 number
Change on year
down 5.8%
World rank
65th
of 83 countries
All-time high
208,455 number
in 1980
All-time low
33,978 number
in 2018
Years of data
12
1980–2018

Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Singapore, 1980–2018

50.0k100.0k150.0k200.0k1980199920181980: 208.5k number1990: 158.9k number2000: 120.3k number2010: 62.9k number2011: 50.4k number2012: 48.2k number2013: 45.8k number2014: 43.4k number2015: 43.7k number2016: 38.4k number2017: 36.1k number2018: 34.0k number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

The most recent figure for illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Singapore is 33,978 number, measured in 2018. That is the lowest value across all 12 years on record.

That represents a change of down 5.8% on the previous year and down 46.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Singapore peaked at 208,455 number in 1980 and was at its lowest, 33,978 number, in 2018.

That places Singapore 65th out of 83 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 208,455 number 208,455 number 208,455 number 1
1990s 158,904 number 158,904 number 158,904 number 1
2000s 120,350 number 120,350 number 120,350 number 1
2010s 44,746 number 33,978 number 62,891 number 9

Countries ranked near Singapore

  1. 62 Jordan 67,902 number compare
  2. 63 Eswatini 50,427 number compare
  3. 64 Palestine 45,443 number compare
  4. 66 Kazakhstan 20,015 number compare
  5. 67 Bahrain 19,084 number compare
  6. 68 Uruguay 18,875 number compare

See the full ranking of 122 places β†’

More reference data data for Singapore

All data for Singapore β†’

Frequently asked questions

What is illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Singapore?
Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Singapore was 33,978 number in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Singapore?
The highest recorded value was 208,455 number in 1980.
What is the lowest illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Singapore?
The lowest recorded value was 33,978 number in 2018.
How does Singapore rank for illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes?
Singapore ranks 65th out of 83 countries with data for 2018.
Is illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in Singapore?
Over the last ten years it is down 46.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Singapore 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 Singapore. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 17 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/illiterate-population-25-64-years-both-sexes-number/singapore/

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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.