Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)

East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income): Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female was 20.68 million number in 2019. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2019)
20.68 million number
Change on year
down 7.5%
Rank
26th
of 38 groups
All-time high
138.01 million number
in 1980
All-time low
20.68 million number
in 2019
Years of data
44
1976–2019

Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income), 1976–2019

25.0M50.0M75.0M100.0M125.0M150.0M1976199720191976: 131.5M number1977: 135.2M number1978: 135.8M number1979: 136.0M number1980: 138.0M number1981: 136.4M number1982: 131.1M number1983: 134.8M number1984: 133.7M number1985: 132.7M number1986: 131.9M number1987: 131.0M number1988: 110.2M number1989: 107.9M number1990: 106.3M number1991: 104.2M number1992: 102.3M number1993: 100.6M number1994: 98.2M number1995: 95.6M number1996: 93.5M number1997: 59.3M number1998: 56.7M number1999: 54.2M number2000: 47.4M number2001: 48.6M number2002: 46.0M number2003: 43.5M number2004: 40.9M number2005: 38.3M number2006: 37.1M number2007: 32.8M number2008: 30.8M number2009: 29.4M number2010: 28.3M number2011: 30.8M number2012: 29.7M number2013: 29.2M number2014: 26.6M number2015: 24.8M number2016: 23.9M number2017: 22.6M number2018: 22.4M number2019: 20.7M number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

The most recent figure for illiterate population, 25-64 years, female in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) is 20.68 million number, measured in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 44 years on record.

The figure is down 7.5% on the previous year and down 29.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, illiterate population, 25-64 years, female in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) peaked at 138.01 million number in 1980 and was at its lowest, 20.68 million number, in 2019.

That places East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) 26th out of 38 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.

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

Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income), year by year

Annual values for Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female (number) in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income), 1976 to 2019.
Year number Change
1976 131.46 million number
1977 135.18 million number +2.8%
1978 135.79 million number +0.5%
1979 136.00 million number +0.2%
1980 138.01 million number +1.5%
1981 136.40 million number -1.2%
1982 131.15 million number -3.8%
1983 134.81 million number +2.8%
1984 133.74 million number -0.8%
1985 132.71 million number -0.8%
1986 131.92 million number -0.6%
1987 130.99 million number -0.7%
1988 110.16 million number -15.9%
1989 107.86 million number -2.1%
1990 106.30 million number -1.4%
1991 104.23 million number -1.9%
1992 102.34 million number -1.8%
1993 100.60 million number -1.7%
1994 98.25 million number -2.3%
1995 95.57 million number -2.7%
1996 93.53 million number -2.1%
1997 59.26 million number -36.6%
1998 56.66 million number -4.4%
1999 54.24 million number -4.3%
2000 47.41 million number -12.6%
2001 48.62 million number +2.6%
2002 45.97 million number -5.4%
2003 43.51 million number -5.3%
2004 40.91 million number -6.0%
2005 38.27 million number -6.5%
2006 37.14 million number -2.9%
2007 32.84 million number -11.6%
2008 30.75 million number -6.4%
2009 29.38 million number -4.5%
2010 28.33 million number -3.5%
2011 30.81 million number +8.7%
2012 29.71 million number -3.6%
2013 29.19 million number -1.8%
2014 26.64 million number -8.7%
2015 24.84 million number -6.8%
2016 23.87 million number -3.9%
2017 22.57 million number -5.4%
2018 22.35 million number -1.0%
2019 20.68 million number -7.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 134.61 million number 131.46 million number 136.00 million number 4
1980s 128.77 million number 107.86 million number 138.01 million number 10
1990s 87.10 million number 54.24 million number 106.30 million number 10
2000s 39.48 million number 29.38 million number 48.62 million number 10
2010s 25.90 million number 20.68 million number 30.81 million number 10

Countries ranked near East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)

  1. 23 Benin 1.56 million number compare
  2. 24 Viet Nam 1.45 million number compare
  3. 25 Madagascar 1.43 million number compare
  4. 26 Malawi 1.35 million number compare
  5. 27 Cameroon 1.35 million number compare
  6. 28 Mexico 1.29 million number compare
  7. 29 Cambodia 1.01 million number compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)

All data for East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) →

Frequently asked questions

What is illiterate population, 25-64 years, female in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)?
Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) was 20.68 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest illiterate population, 25-64 years, female recorded in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)?
The highest recorded value was 138.01 million number in 1980.
What is the lowest illiterate population, 25-64 years, female recorded in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)?
The lowest recorded value was 20.68 million number in 2019.
How does East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) rank for illiterate population, 25-64 years, female?
East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) ranks 26th out of 38 groups with data for 2019.
Is illiterate population, 25-64 years, female rising or falling in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)?
Over the last ten years it is down 29.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income). Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/illiterate-population-25-64-years-female-number/east-asia-and-pacific-excluding-high-income/

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About this data

Indicator
Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
122 places, 2,240 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Total number of females from age 25 to age 64 who cannot both read and write with understanding a short simple statement on their everyday life.