Global Illiterate Population by Age Group and Sex (2016)

About This Dataset

This chart shows the total number of illiterate people globally across four age groups, broken down by sex, based on UNESCO data for 2016. All values are in millions.

✨ AI Insight

Of the 750 million illiterate adults globally in 2016, women account for 473 million - nearly 63% - underscoring a persistent gender gap in literacy. The working-age population (25-64) holds the largest share of illiteracy at 507 million, making it the most critical demographic for targeted literacy interventions. While youth illiteracy at 102 million is comparatively lower, it remains a significant figure indicating that schooling access and quality gaps persist in several regions. The elderly illiterate population of 141 million, largely women, reflects the historical disadvantage women faced in accessing education decades ago.

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics

Key Findings

Auto-computed highlights from this dataset

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Adults (15+) - Both Sexes leads with 750 in 2016.

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Average value in 2016: 250 · median: 164.

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Gap in 2016: Adults (15+) - Both Sexes is 17× larger than Youth (15-24) - Men.