8 Facts on India’s Literacy Problem
Indian women account for one of every four illiterate adults worldwide.
November 30, 2014
1. As of 2012, 781 million adults (ages 15 and older) worldwide were considered to be illiterate.
2. This means they lack the ability to read or write a simple sentence in their native language.
3. Women account for almost two-thirds (63.5%, or 496 million) of illiterate adults worldwide.
4. South Asia has the largest concentration of overall illiteracy — accounting for 410 million, or nearly half, of the total worldwide.
5. The region with the next highest number of illiterate adults is Sub-Saharan Africa, with about 194 million illiterate adults, or 21% of the world total.
6. With 287 million illiterate adults, India accounts for 36.7% of the world’s illiterate population — by far the largest share of any nation.
7. There are 187 million Indian women who are illiterate.
The Upshot Put another way, Indian women account for 38% of the world’s illiterate females — and 24% of the world’s entire illiterate population.
Data source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Takeaways
As of 2012, 781 million adults (ages 15 and older) worldwide were considered to be illiterate.
Women account for almost two-thirds (63.5%, or 496 million) of illiterate adults worldwide.
South Asia has the largest concentration of illiteracy -- accounting for nearly half of the total worldwide.
There are 187 million Indian women who are illiterate.
