The illiteracy rate is one indicator of a country's educational level.
illiterate person
Refers to a person who cannot read or write. Can be perceived as derogatory; more neutral terms include 非識字者 or descriptive phrases like 読み書きができない人.
昔は文盲が多かったが、今は義務教育のおかげで減った。
In the past there were many illiterate people, but thanks to compulsory education the number has decreased.
ignorant and illiterate; uneducated and illiterate
ignorance and illiteracy
Composed of 文 (writing, literature) and 盲 (blind). The literal sense is 'blind to writing', i.e., unable to read. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the compound follows a common pattern for describing disabilities or deficiencies.