Illiterate population, 25-64 years, male in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)

South Asia (IDA & IBRD): Illiterate population, 25-64 years, male was 93.91 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
93.91 million number
Change on year
down 0.7%
Rank
7th
of 38 groups
All-time high
106.59 million number
in 1997
All-time low
83.09 million number
in 1975
Years of data
45
1975–2019

Illiterate population, 25-64 years, male in South Asia (IDA & IBRD), 1975–2019

025.0M50.0M75.0M100.0M1975199720191975: 83.1M number1976: 84.8M number1977: 85.7M number1978: 86.7M number1979: 87.8M number1980: 88.8M number1981: 89.3M number1982: 90.5M number1983: 91.4M number1984: 92.3M number1985: 93.4M number1986: 94.3M number1987: 95.6M number1988: 97.3M number1989: 98.9M number1990: 100.6M number1991: 102.6M number1992: 102.4M number1993: 102.7M number1994: 103.7M number1995: 104.8M number1996: 105.7M number1997: 106.6M number1998: 94.7M number1999: 95.6M number2000: 96.4M number2001: 97.1M number2002: 97.4M number2003: 96.9M number2004: 97.2M number2005: 100.2M number2006: 100.8M number2007: 101.7M number2008: 98.5M number2009: 98.6M number2010: 99.2M number2011: 100.7M number2012: 100.2M number2013: 100.7M number2014: 100.7M number2015: 98.7M number2016: 95.4M number2017: 95.4M number2018: 94.6M number2019: 93.9M number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

South Asia (IDA & IBRD) recorded 93.91 million number for illiterate population, 25-64 years, male in 2019.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.7% on the previous year and down 4.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, illiterate population, 25-64 years, male in South Asia (IDA & IBRD) peaked at 106.59 million number in 1997 and was at its lowest, 83.09 million number, in 1975.

South Asia (IDA & IBRD) ranks 7th of 38 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.

Illiterate population, 25-64 years, male in South Asia (IDA & IBRD), year by year

Annual values for Illiterate population, 25-64 years, male (number) in South Asia (IDA & IBRD), 1975 to 2019.
Year number Change
1975 83.09 million number
1976 84.84 million number +2.1%
1977 85.71 million number +1.0%
1978 86.71 million number +1.2%
1979 87.78 million number +1.2%
1980 88.84 million number +1.2%
1981 89.27 million number +0.5%
1982 90.48 million number +1.4%
1983 91.37 million number +1.0%
1984 92.33 million number +1.0%
1985 93.43 million number +1.2%
1986 94.31 million number +0.9%
1987 95.63 million number +1.4%
1988 97.33 million number +1.8%
1989 98.93 million number +1.7%
1990 100.56 million number +1.6%
1991 102.61 million number +2.0%
1992 102.37 million number -0.2%
1993 102.69 million number +0.3%
1994 103.74 million number +1.0%
1995 104.82 million number +1.0%
1996 105.67 million number +0.8%
1997 106.59 million number +0.9%
1998 94.72 million number -11.1%
1999 95.61 million number +0.9%
2000 96.41 million number +0.8%
2001 97.15 million number +0.8%
2002 97.42 million number +0.3%
2003 96.90 million number -0.5%
2004 97.19 million number +0.3%
2005 100.18 million number +3.1%
2006 100.78 million number +0.6%
2007 101.68 million number +0.9%
2008 98.52 million number -3.1%
2009 98.61 million number +0.1%
2010 99.22 million number +0.6%
2011 100.71 million number +1.5%
2012 100.18 million number -0.5%
2013 100.67 million number +0.5%
2014 100.75 million number +0.1%
2015 98.67 million number -2.1%
2016 95.38 million number -3.3%
2017 95.39 million number +0.0%
2018 94.57 million number -0.9%
2019 93.91 million number -0.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 85.63 million number 83.09 million number 87.78 million number 5
1980s 93.19 million number 88.84 million number 98.93 million number 10
1990s 101.94 million number 94.72 million number 106.59 million number 10
2000s 98.49 million number 96.41 million number 101.68 million number 10
2010s 97.95 million number 93.91 million number 100.75 million number 10

Countries ranked near South Asia (IDA & IBRD)

  1. 4 Bangladesh 10.48 million number compare
  2. 5 Egypt 5.48 million number compare
  3. 6 China 3.69 million number compare
  4. 7 Brazil 3.50 million number compare
  5. 8 Côte d'Ivoire 2.22 million number compare
  6. 9 Burkina Faso 1.75 million number compare
  7. 10 Iran, Islamic Republic of 1.70 million number compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for South Asia (IDA & IBRD)

All data for South Asia (IDA & IBRD) →

Frequently asked questions

What is illiterate population, 25-64 years, male in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
Illiterate population, 25-64 years, male in South Asia (IDA & IBRD) was 93.91 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest illiterate population, 25-64 years, male recorded in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
The highest recorded value was 106.59 million number in 1997.
What is the lowest illiterate population, 25-64 years, male recorded in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
The lowest recorded value was 83.09 million number in 1975.
How does South Asia (IDA & IBRD) rank for illiterate population, 25-64 years, male?
South Asia (IDA & IBRD) ranks 7th out of 38 groups with data for 2019.
Is illiterate population, 25-64 years, male rising or falling in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
Over the last ten years it is down 4.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Asia (IDA & IBRD) data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Illiterate population, 25-64 years, male (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Illiterate population, 25-64 years, male in South Asia (IDA & IBRD). Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 26 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/illiterate-population-25-64-years-male-number/south-asia-ida-and-ibrd/

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About this data

Indicator
Illiterate population, 25-64 years, male (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
122 places, 2,243 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

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