List of countries by literacy rate

World map of countries shaded according to the literacy rate for all people aged 15 and over

This is a list of countries by literacy rate. The figures represented are almost entirely collected by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) on behalf of UNESCO with 2015 estimates based on people aged 15 or over who can read and write. Where data is taken from a different source, notes are provided. The data is collated by mostly using surveys within the last ten years which are self-declared by the persons in question.[1] UIS provide estimates based on these for the year 2015 with a Global Age-specific Literacy Projections Model (GALP).[2]

The global literacy rate for all people aged 15 and above is 86.3%. The global literacy rate for all males is 90.0% and the rate for all females is 82.7%. The rate varies throughout the world with developed nations having a rate of 99.2% (2013); Oceania having 71.3%; South and West Asia having 70.2% (2015) and sub-Saharan Africa at 64.0% (2015).[3] Over 75% of the world's 781 million illiterate adults are found in South Asia, West Asia and sub-Saharan Africa and women represent almost two-thirds of all illiterate adults globally.[4]

List of UN member states

Country UNESCO[3] Non-UNESCO
literacy rate
Literacy rate (all)Male literacyFemale literacyGender difference[note 1]
 World 86.3%90.0%82.7%7.3%
 Afghanistan38.2%52.0%24.2%27.8%
 Albania97.6%98.4%96.8%1.6%
 Algeria80.2%87.2%73.1%14.0%87.7%[5]
 Andorranot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Angola71.1%82.0%60.7%21.3%
 Antigua and Barbudanot reported by UNESCO 201599.0%(2013)[3][note 2]
 Argentina98.1%98.0%98.1%-0.1%
 Armenia99.8%99.8%99.7%0.1%
 Australianot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Austrianot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Azerbaijan99.8%99.9%99.7%0.2%
 Bahamasnot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Bahrain95.7%96.9%93.5%3.5%
 Bangladesh72.8%[note 3]75.6%69.9%5.7%71% (2014)[6]
 Barbadosnot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Belarus99.7%99.8%99.7%0.1%
 Belgiumnot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Belize82.7%82.3%83.0%-0.7%
 Benin38.4%49.9%27.3%22.6%
 Bhutan64.9%73.1%55.0%18.1%
 Bolivia95.7%97.8%93.6%4.2%
 Bosnia and Herzegovina98.5%99.5%97.5%2.1%97.2% (2013)[7][note 4]
 Botswana88.5%88.0%88.9%-0.9%
 Brazil91.7%91.4%92.1%-0.7%
 Brunei96.4%97.7%95.1%2.6%
 Bulgaria98.4%98.7%98.1%0.7%
 Burkina Faso36%43.0%29.3%13.7%
 Burundi85.6%88.2%83.1%5.1%
 Cabo Verde87.6%92.1%83.1%9.0%
 Cambodia77.2%84.5%70.5%13.9%
 Cameroon75%81.2%68.9%12.3%
 Canadanot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Central African Republic36.8%50.7%24.4%26.4%
 Chad40.2%48.5%31.9%16.6%
 Chile97.3%97.4%97.2%0.2%
 China96.4%98.2%94.5%3.7%
 Colombia94.7%94.6%94.8%-0.2%
 Comoros77.8%81.8%73.7%8.1%
 Congo79.3%86.4%72.9%13.6%
 Congo, Democratic Republic of the77.3%88.9%66.0%22.8%
 Costa Rica97.8%97.7%97.8%-0.1%
 Ivory Coast43.1%53.1%32.5%20.6%
 Croatia99.3%99.7%98.9%0.7%
 Cuba99.7%99.7%99.8%-0.1%
 Cyprus99.1%99.5%98.7%0.8%
 Czech Republicnot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Denmarknot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Djiboutinot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Dominicanot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Dominican Republic91.8%91.2%92.3%-1.1%
 Ecuador94.5%95.4%93.5%1.8%
 Egypt75.2%83.2%67.3%16.0%
 El Salvador88.4%90.7%86.4%4.3%
 Equatorial Guinea95.3%97.4%93.0%4.4%
 Eritrea73.8%82.4%65.5%16.9%
 Estonia99.8%99.8%99.8%0.0%
 Ethiopia49.1%57.2%41.1%16.1%
 Fijinot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Finlandnot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Francenot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Gabon83.2%85.3%81.0%4.3%
 Gambia55.5%63.9%47.6%16.3%
 Georgia99.8%99.8%99.7%0.1%
 Germanynot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Ghana76.6%82.0%71.4%10.7%
 Greece97.7%98.5%96.9%1.6%
 Grenadanot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Guatemala79.3%84.7%74.4%10.4%
 Guinea30.4%38.1%22.8%15.3%
 Guinea-Bissau59.9%71.8%48.3%23.5%
 Guyana88.5%87.2%89.8%-2.6%
 Haiti60.7%64.3%57.3%7.0%
 Honduras88.5%88.4%88.6%-0.1%
 Hungary99.1%99.1%99.0%0.2%
 Icelandnot reported by UNESCO 2015
 India72.1%80.9%62.8%18.1%74.0% (2011)[8][note 5]
 Indonesia93.9%96.3%91.5%4.7%
 Iran86.8%91.2%82.5%8.7%
 Iraq43.7%43.0%38.0%5.0%78.5%[9]
 Irelandnot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Israel not reported by UNESCO 201597.8% (2011)[4][note 6]
 Italy99.2%99.4%99.0%0.4%
 Jamaica88.7%84.0%93.1%-9.1%
 Japannot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Jordan97.9% (in 2012)98.4%97.4%1.0%
 Kazakhstan99.8%99.8%99.8%0.0%
 Kenya78%81.1%74.9%6.2%
 Kiribatinot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of100.0%100.0%100.0%0.0%
 Korea, Republic ofnot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Kuwait96.2%96.9%95.0%1.9%
 Kyrgyzstan99.5%99.6%99.4%0.2%
 Laos79.9%87.1%72.8%14.3%
 Latvia99.9%99.9%99.9%0.0%
 Lebanon93.9%96.0%91.8%4.1%
 Lesotho79.4%70.1%88.3%-18.2%
 Liberia47.6%62.4%32.8%29.6%
 Libya91%96.7%85.6%11.1%
 Liechtensteinnot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Lithuania99.8%99.8%99.8%0.0%
 Luxembourgnot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Macedonia97.8%98.8%96.8%2.0%
 Madagascar64.7%66.7%62.6%4.1%
 Malawi65.8%73.0%58.6%14.4%
 Malaysia94.6%96.2%93.2%3.0%
 Maldives99.3%99.8%98.8%0.9%
 Mali38.7%48.2%29.2%19.0%
 Malta94.1%92.5%95.7%-3.2%
 Marshall Islandsnot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Mauritania52.1%62.6%41.6%21.0%
 Mauritius90.6%92.9%88.5%4.4%
 Mexico94.4%95.6%93.3%2.2%
 Micronesianot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Moldova99.4%99.7%99.1%0.7%
 Monaconot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Mongolia98.4%98.2%98.6%-0.4%
 Montenegro98.7%99.5%98.0%1.4%
 Morocco72.4%82.7%62.5%20.2%
 Mozambique58.8%73.3%45.4%27.9%
 Myanmar75.6%[note 7]80.0%71.9%8.1%
 Namibia81.9%79.2%84.5%-5.3%
 Naurunot reported by UNESCO 2015
   Nepal64.7%75.6%55.1%20.5%
 Netherlandsnot reported by UNESCO 2015
 New Zealandnot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Nicaragua82.8%82.4%83.2%-0.9%
 Niger19.1%27.3%11.0%16.3%
 Nigeria59.6%69.2%49.7%19.5%71.6% (2010)[11][note 8]
 Norwaynot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Oman94.8%96.9%90.0%6.9%
 Pakistan56.4%69.6%42.7%26.9%
 Palau99.5%99.5%99.6%-0.1%
 Panama95%95.7%94.4%1.2%
 Papua New Guinea64.2%65.6%62.8%2.8%
 Paraguay95.6%96.1%95.0%1.1%
 Peru94.5%97.3%91.7%5.6%
 Philippines96.3%95.8%96.8%-1.0%
 Poland99.8%99.9%99.7%0.2%
 Portugal95.4%96.9%94.1%2.8%
 Qatar97.8%97.9%97.3%0.6%
 Romania98.8%99.1%98.5%0.6%
 Russia99.7%99.7%99.7%0.0%
 Rwanda70.5%73.2%68.0%5.2%
 Saint Kitts and Nevisnot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Saint Lucianot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadinesnot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Samoa99%98.9%99.1%-0.2%
 San Marinonot reported by UNESCO 2015
 São Tomé and Príncipe74.9%81.8%68.4%13.4%
 Saudi Arabia94.7%97.0%91.1%5.9%
 Senegal55.7%68.5%43.8%24.6%
 Serbia98.1%99.1%97.2%1.9%
 Seychelles95.2%94.7%95.7%-1.0%
 Sierra Leone48.1%58.7%37.7%21.1%
 Singapore96.8%98.7%95.1%3.6%
 Slovakia99.6%99.6%99.6%0.0%
 Slovenia99.7%99.7%99.7%0.0%
 Solomon Islandsnot reported by UNESCO 201584.1% (2015)[4][note 9]
 Somalianot reported by UNESCO 2015
 South Africa94.3%95.5%93.1%2.4%
 South Sudan26.8%34.8%19.2%15.6%
 Spain98.1%98.7%97.5%1.3%
 Sri Lanka92.6%93.6%91.7%1.9%
 Sudan53.5%59.80%46.7%13.1%
 Suriname95.6%96.1%95.0%1.1%
 Swaziland87.5%87.4%87.5%-0.1%
 Swedennot reported by UNESCO 2015
  Switzerlandnot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Syria86.4%91.7%81.0%10.7%
 Tajikistan99.8%99.8%99.7%0.1%
 Tanzania, United Republic of80.3%84.8%75.9%9.0%
 Thailand96.7%96.6%96.7%-0.1%
 Timor-Leste67.5%71.5%63.4%8.1%
 Togo66.5%78.3%55.3%23.0%
 Tonga99.4%99.3%99.4%-0.1%
 Trinidad and Tobago99%99.2%98.7%0.5%
 Tunisia81.8%89.6%74.2%15.4%
 Turkey95%98.4%91.8%6.6%
 Turkmenistan99.7%99.8%99.6%0.1%
 Tuvalunot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Uganda73.9%80.8%66.9%14.0%
 Ukraine99.8%99.8%99.7%0.1%
 United Arab Emirates93.8%93.1%95.8%-2.6%
 United Kingdomnot reported by UNESCO 2015
 United States of Americanot reported by UNESCO 2015
 Uruguay98.4%98.1%98.7%-0.6%
 Uzbekistan99.6%99.7%99.5%0.3%
 Vanuatu85.2%86.6%83.8%2.8%
 Venezuela95.4%95.0%95.7%-0.7%
 Vietnam94.5%96.3%92.8%3.4%
 Yemen70.1%85.1%55.0%30.1%
 Zambia63.4%70.9%56.0%14.9%
 Zimbabwe86.5%88.5%84.6%4.0%

List of other states and territories

TerritoryLiteracy rate (all)Male literacyFemale literacyGender differenceYearNotes
 Aruba97.5%97.5%97.5%0.0%2015[3]A constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
 Cayman Islands98.9%98.7%99.0%-0.3%2007[3]An overseas territory of the United Kingdom.
 Guadeloupe96.5%96.4%96.6%-0.2%2015[3]Overseas region/department of France.
 Guam99.8%99.8%99.8%0.0%2015[3]An unincorporated and organized territory of the United States.
 Kosovo91.9%96.6%87.5%9.1%2003[4]Member of two UN specialized agencies (World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund). It is claimed by Serbia.
 Macau96.2%98.0%94.6%3.4%2015[3]A special administrative region of China.
 Martinique97.0%97.6%96.4%1.2%2015[3]Overseas region/department of France.
 New Caledonia96.9%97.3%96.5%0.8%2015[3]Overseas region/department of France.
 Palestine96.7%98.5%94.8%3.7%2015[3]UN Observer State[12]
 Puerto Rico93.3%92.8%93.8%-1.0%2015[3]Unincorporated territory of the United States.
 Réunion93.9%93.2%94.5%-1.3%2015[3]Overseas region/department of France.
 Taiwan98.70%99.73%97.69%2.05%2017[13]Member of one UN specialized agency (World Health Organization) as Chinese Taipei

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Gender difference is calculated as the male literacy rate minus the female literacy rate. Negative values shows countries with higher female rates than male.
  2. ↑ The breakdown by gender is 98.4% male, 99.4% female (difference of -1.0%)
  3. ↑ Adult rate: 72.76%. By gender: M=75.62%,F=69.90%. All figures 2016.[6]
  4. ↑ Gender breakdown is 99.2% male and 95.2 for females. "Data on literacy were collected for persons aged 10 or more years who did not receive any kind of formal education or with incomplete primary education. A person capable of reading with understanding and writing a statement on his/her daily routine shall be considered to be a literate person."
  5. ↑ The breakdown by gender is 82.1% male, 65.5% female (difference of 16.6%)
  6. ↑ The breakdown by gender is 98.7% male, 95.8% female (difference of 2.9%)
  7. ↑ Adult rate: 75.55%. By gender: M=80.01%,F=71.85%. All figures 2016.[10]
  8. ↑ The breakdown by gender is 79.3% male, 63.7% female (difference is 15.6%)
  9. ↑ The breakdown by gender is 88.9% male, 79.2% female (difference is 9.7%)

References

  1. ↑ "Literacy Statistics Metadata Information Table". UNESCO Institute for Statistics. September 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  2. ↑ Lutz, Wolfgang & Scherbov, Sergei (July 2006). Global Age-specific Literacy Projections Model (GALP): Rationale, Methodology and Software (PDF). Adult Education and Literacy Statistics Programme. UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years (both sexes, female, male)". UIS Data Centre. UNESCO. August 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Country Comparison to the World of Literacy Rate". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  5. ↑ "«Le taux d'analphabétisme a baissé à 12% en Algérie»". La Tribune. 24 January 2017. Archived from the original on 22 October 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  6. 1 2 Bangladesh - Literacy rate (2017). Bangladesh rises the literacy rate. Expansion Publication.
  7. ↑ "BiH Census 2013" (PDF). BHAS. 2016. p. 138.
  8. ↑ "State of Literacy" (PDF). Census India. 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
  9. ↑ https://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/iraq_statistics.html
  10. ↑
  11. ↑ "National Literacy Survey". National Bureau of Statistics. June 2010. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  12. ↑ "Non-member States". United Nations. Archived from the original on 9 May 2009. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
  13. ↑ "Republic of China's population over the age of 15 education statistics" (in Chinese). Ministry of the Interior. 25 February 2017. Archived from the original on 2017-04-24. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
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