List of countries by literacy rate

This is a list of countries by literacy rate.

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), South and West Asia having 70.2% (2015), and sub-Saharan Africa at 64.0% (2015).^[1] 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.^[2]

[1]

[2]

Country	Literacy rate^[12]^[13] ^{[text–source integrity?]}
Country	Total	Male	Female	Gender gap	Year
Afghanistan *	37.3%	52.1%	22.6%	29.5%	2021
Albania *	98.1%	98.5%	97.8%	0.7%	2018
Algeria *	81.4%	87.4%	75.3%	12.1%	2018
Andorra *	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%	0.0%	2016
Angola *	71.1%	82.0%	60.7%	21.3%	2015
Antigua and Barbuda *	99.0%	98.4%	99.4%	1.0%	2015
Argentina *	99.0%	98.9%	99.1%	0.2%	2018
Armenia *	99.8%	99.8%	99.7%	0.1%	2020
Australia *	99.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Austria *	98.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Azerbaijan *	99.8%	99.9%	99.7%	0.2%	2019
Bahamas	96.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Bahrain *	97.5%	99.9%	94.9%	5.0%	2018
Bangladesh *	74.66%	76.56%	72.82%	3.72%	2022^[14]
Barbados *	99.6%	99.6%	99.6%	0.0%	2014
Belarus *	99.9%	99.9%	99.9%	0.0%	2019
Belgium *	99.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Belize *	83.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Benin *	42.4%	54.0%	31.1%	22.9%	2018
Bhutan *	66.6%	75.0%	57.1%	17.9%	2017
Bolivia *	92.5%	96.5%	88.6%	7.9%	2015
Bosnia and Herzegovina *	98.5%	99.5%	97.5%	2.0%	2015
Botswana *	88.5%	88.0%	88.9%	0.9%	2015
Brazil *	93.2%	93.0%	93.4%	0.4%	2018
Brunei *	97.2%	98.1%	93.4%	4.7%	2018
Bulgaria *	98.4%	98.7%	98.1%	0.6%	2015
Burkina Faso *	39.3%	49.2%	31.0%	18.2%	2018
Burundi *	68.4%	76.3%	61.2%	15.1%	2017
Cape Verde *	86.8%	91.7%	82.0%	9.7%	2015
Cambodia *	80.5%	86.5%	75.0%	11.5%	2015
Cameroon *	77.1%	82.6%	71.6%	11.0%	2018
Canada *	99.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Central African Republic *	37.4%	49.5%	25.8%	23.7%	2018
Chad *	22.3%	31.3%	14.0%	17.3%	2016
Chile *	96.3%	96.3%	96.3%	0.0%	2017
China *	96.8%	98.5%	95.2%	3.3%	2018
Colombia *	95.6%	95.4%	95.9%	0.5%	2020
Comoros *	58.8%	64.6%	53.0%	11.6%	2018
Congo *	80.3%	86.1%	74.6%	11.5%	2018
DR Congo *	77.0%	88.5%	66.5%	22.0%	2016
Costa Rica *	97.9%	97.8%	97.9%	0.1%	2018
Ivory Coast *	89.9%	93.1%	86.7%	6.4%	2019
Croatia *	99.3%	99.7%	98.9%	0.8%	2015
Cuba *	99.8%	99.9%	99.8%	0.1%	2015
Cyprus *	99.1%	99.5%	98.7%	0.8%	2015
Czech Republic *	99.0%	99.0%	99.0%	0.0%	2011
Denmark *	99.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Djibouti *	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Dominica *	92.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Dominican Republic *	93.8%	93.8%	93.8%	0.0%	2016
Ecuador *	93.6%	94.8%	92.5%	2.3%	2020
Egypt *	71.2%	76.5%	65.5%	11.0%	2017
El Salvador *	89.1%	91.3%	87.3%	4.0%	2019
Equatorial Guinea *	95.3%	97.4%	93.0%	4.4%	2015
Eritrea *	76.6%	84.4%	68.9%	15.5%	2018
Estonia *	99.8%	99.8%	99.8%	0.0%	2015
Ethiopia *	51.8%	57.2%	44.4%	12.8%	2017
Fiji *	99.1%	99.1%	99.1%	0.0%	2018
Finland *	100.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
France *	99.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Gabon *	84.7%	85.9%	83.4%	2.5%	2018
Gambia *	50.8%	61.8%	41.6%	20.2%	2015
Georgia *	99.6%	99.7%	99.5%	0.2%	2019
Germany *	99.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Ghana *	79.0%	83.5%	74.5%	9.0%	2018
Greece *	97.9%	98.5%	97.4%	1.1%	2018
Grenada *	98.6%	98.6%	98.6%	0.0%	2014
Guatemala *	80.8%	85.3%	76.7%	8.6%	2018
Guinea *	39.6%	54.4%	27.7%	26.7%	2018
Guinea-Bissau *	59.9%	71.8%	48.3%	23.5%	2015
Guyana *	88.5%	87.2%	89.8%	2.6%	2015
Haiti *	61.7%	65.3%	58.3%	7.0%	2016
Honduras *	88.5%	88.2%	88.7%	0.5%	2019
Hungary *	99.1%	99.1%	99.0%	0.1%	2015
Iceland *	99.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
India *	74.4%	82.4%	65.8%	16.6%	2018
Indonesia *	96.0%	97.4%	94.6%	2.8%	2020
Iran *	85.5%	90.4%	80.8%	9.6%	2016
Iraq *	85.6%	91.2%	79.9%	11.3%	2017
Ireland *	99.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Israel *	97.8%	98.7%	96.8%	1.9%	2011
Italy *	99.2%	99.4%	99.0%	0.4%	2018
Jamaica *	88.7%	84.0%	93.1%	9.1%	2015
Japan *	99.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Jordan *	98.2%	98.6%	97.8%	0.8%	2018
Kazakhstan *	99.8%	99.8%	99.7%	0.1%	2018
Kenya *	81.5%	85.0%	78.2%	6.8%	2018
Kiribati *	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
North Korea *	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%	0.0%	2015
South Korea *	98.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Kuwait *	96.5%	97.1%	95.4%	1.7%	2020
Kyrgyzstan *	99.6%	99.7%	99.5%	0.2%	2018
Laos *	84.7%	90.0%	79.4%	10.6%	2015
Latvia *	99.9%	99.9%	99.9%	0.0%	2018
Lebanon *	95.1%	96.9%	93.3%	3.6%	2018
Lesotho *	79.4%	70.1%	88.3%	18.2%	2015
Liberia *	48.3%	62.7%	34.1%	28.6%	2017
Libya *	91.0%	96.7%	85.6%	11.1%	2015
Liechtenstein *	100.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Lithuania *	99.8%	99.8%	99.8%	0.0%	2015
Luxembourg *	100.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Madagascar *	76.7%	78.4%	75.1%	3.3%	2018
Malawi *	62.1%	69.8%	55.2%	14.6%	2015
Malaysia *	95.0%	96.2%	93.6%	2.6%	2019
Maldives *	97.7%	97.3%	98.1%	0.8%	2016
Mali *	35.5%	46.2%	25.7%	20.5%	2018
Malta *	94.5%	93.0%	96.0%	3.0%	2018
Marshall Islands *	98.3%	98.3%	98.2%	0.1%	2011
Mauritania *	53.5%	63.7%	43.4%	20.3%	2017
Mauritius *	91.3%	93.4%	89.4%	4.0%	2018
Mexico *	95.2%	96.1%	94.5%	1.6%	2020
Micronesia *	99.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Moldova *	99.4%	99.7%	99.1%	0.6%	2015
Monaco *	99.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Mongolia *	99.2%	99.1%	99.2%	0.1%	2020
Montenegro *	98.8%	99.5%	98.3%	1.2%	2018
Morocco *	73.8%	83.3%	64.6%	18.7%	2018
Mozambique *	60.7%	72.6%	50.3%	22.3%	2017
Myanmar *	89.1%	92.4%	86.3%	6.1%	2019
Namibia *	91.5%	91.6%	91.4%	0.2%	2018
Nauru *	95.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Nepal *	67.9%	78.6%	59.7%	18.9%	2018
Netherlands *	99.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
New Zealand *	99.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Nicaragua *	82.6%	82.4%	82.8%	0.4%	2015
Niger *	35.1%	43.6%	26.7%	16.9%	2018
Nigeria *	62.0%	71.3%	52.7%	18.6%	2018
North Macedonia *	98.4%	99.1%	97.6%	1.5%	2020
Norway *	100.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Oman *	95.7%	97.0%	92.7%	4.3%	2018
Pakistan *	58.0%	69.3%	46.5%	22.8%	2019
Palau *	96.6%	96.8%	96.3%	0.5%	2015
Panama *	95.7%	98.8%	95.4%	3.4%	2019
Papua New Guinea *	64.2%	65.6%	62.8%	2.8%	2015
Paraguay *	94.5%	94.9%	94.2%	0.7%	2020
Peru *	94.5%	97.0%	92.0%	5.0%	2020
Philippines *	96.3%	95.7%	96.9%	1.2%	2019
Poland *	99.8%	99.9%	99.7%	0.2%	2015
Portugal *	96.1%	97.4%	95.1%	2.3%	2018
Palestine	97%^[11]	99%	96%	3%	2019
Qatar *	93.5%	92.4%	94.7%	2.3%	2017
Romania *	98.8%	99.1%	98.6%	0.5%	2018
Russia *	99.7%	99.7%	99.7%	0.0%	2018
Rwanda *	73.2%	77.6%	69.4%	8.2%	2018
Saint Kitts and Nevis *	97.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Saint Lucia *	90.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines *	96.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Samoa *	99.1%	99.0%	99.2%	0.2%	2018
San Marino *	99.9%	99.9%	99.9%	0.0%	2018
São Tomé and Príncipe *	92.8%	96.2%	89.5%	6.7%	2018
Saudi Arabia *	97.6%	98.6%	96.0%	2.6%	2020
Senegal *	51.9%	64.8%	39.8%	25.0%	2017
Serbia *	99.5%	99.9%	99.1%	0.8%	2019
Seychelles	95.9%	95.4%	96.4%	1.0%	2018
Sierra Leone *	43.2%	51.6%	39.8%	11.8%	2018
Singapore *	97.5%	98.9%	96.1%	2.8%	2019
Slovakia *	100.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Slovenia *	99.7%	99.7%	99.7%	0.0%	2015
Solomon Islands *	77.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Somalia *	39.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
South Africa *	95.0%	95.5%	94.5%	1.0%	2019
South Sudan *	34.5%	40.3%	28.9%	11.4%	2018
Spain *	98.6%	99.0%	98.2%	0.8%	2020
Sri Lanka *	92.3%	93.0%	91.6%	1.4%	2019
Sudan *	60.7%	65.4%	56.1%	9.3%	2018
Suriname *	94.4%	96.1%	92.7%	3.4%	2018
Eswatini *	88.4%	88.3%	88.5%	0.2%	2018
Sweden *	99.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Switzerland *	99.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Syria *	86.4%	91.7%	81.0%	10.7%	2015
Taiwan *	98.70%	99.73%	97.69%	2.05%	2017
Tajikistan *	99.8%	99.8%	99.7%	0.1%	2015
Tanzania *	77.9%	83.2%	73.1%	10.1%	2015
Thailand *	93.8%	95.2%	92.4%	2.8%	2018
Timor-Leste *	68.1%	71.9%	64.2%	7.7%	2018
Togo *	66.5%	80.0%	55.1%	24.9%	2019
Tonga *	99.4%	99.4%	99.5%	0.1%	2018
Trinidad and Tobago *	99.0%	99.2%	98.7%	0.5%	2015
Tunisia *	81.8%	89.6%	74.2%	15.4%	2015
Turkey *	96.7%	99.1%	94.4%	4.7%	2019
Turkmenistan *	99.7%	99.8%	99.6%	0.2%	2015
Tuvalu *	99.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Uganda *	76.5%	82.7%	70.8%	11.9%	2018
Ukraine *	99.8%	99.8%	99.7%	0.1%	2015
United Arab Emirates *	97.6%	98.0%	96.9%	1.1%	2019
United Kingdom *	99.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
United States *	86.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Uruguay *	98.8%	98.5%	99.0%	0.5%	2019
Uzbekistan *	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%	0.0%	2019
Vanuatu *	87.5%	88.3%	86.7%	1.6%	2018
Venezuela *	97.1%	97.0%	97.2%	0.2%	2016
Vietnam *	95.8%	97.0%	94.6%	2.4%	2019
Yemen *	70.1%	85.1%	55.0%	30.1%	2015
Zambia *	86.7%	90.6%	83.1%	7.5%	2018
Zimbabwe *	86.5%	88.5%	84.6%	3.9%	2015
World	86.7%	90.1%	83.3%	6.8%	2020

Territory	Literacy rate (all)	Male literacy	Female literacy	Gender difference^[a]	Year	Note
Aruba	97.5%	97.5%	97.5%	0.0%	2015^[1]	A constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Cayman Islands	98.9%	98.7%	99.0%	−0.3%	2007^[1]	An overseas territory of the United Kingdom.
Guadeloupe	96.5%	96.4%	96.6%	−0.2%	2015^[1]	Overseas region/department of France.
Guam	99.8%	99.8%	99.8%	0.0%	2015^[1]	An unincorporated and organized territory of the United States.
Kosovo	91.9%	96.6%	87.5%	9.1%	2003^[2]	Member of two UN specialized agencies (World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund). It is claimed by Serbia.
Macau	96.2%	98.0%	94.6%	3.4%	2015^[1]	A special administrative region of China.
Martinique	97.0%	97.6%	96.4%	1.2%	2015^[1]	Overseas region/department of France.
New Caledonia	96.9%	97.3%	96.5%	0.8%	2015^[1]	Overseas region/department of France.
Puerto Rico	93.3%	92.8%	93.8%	−1.0%	2015^[1]	Unincorporated territory of the United States.
Réunion	93.9%	93.2%	94.5%	−1.3%	2015^[1]	Overseas region/department of France.

List of countries by literacy rate

List of UN member states by age group and gender disparity

List of UN member and observer states by adult literacy rate

List of other states and territories

See also

Notes

References

External links

Wikiwand - on

Country	Youth (15 to 24)		Adult (25+)		Elderly (65+)		Youth Gender Parity Index
Country	Rate	Year	Rate	Year	Rate	Year	Rate	Year
Afghanistan *	65.0	2020^[4]	31.7	2011	20.3	2011	0.5	2011
Albania *	99.2	2012	97.2	2012	86.9	2012	1.0	2012
Algeria *	93.8	2008	75.1	2008	19.5	2008	1.0	2008
American Samoa *	97.7	1980	97.3	1980	92.7	1980	1.0	1980
Andorra *
Angola *	77.4	2014	66.0	2014	27.0	2014	0.8	2014
Anguilla *	99.1	1984	95.4	1984	88.0	1984	1.0	1984
Antigua and Barbuda *			98.9	2015
Argentina *	99.5	2016	99.1	2016	97.9	2016	1.0	2016
Armenia *	99.8	2011	99.7	2011	98.9	2011	1.0	2011
Aruba *	99.1	2010	96.8	2010	88.9	2010	1.0	2010
Australia *	96.6
Austria *
Azerbaijan *	99.9	2016	99.8	2016	98.4	2016	1.0	2016
Bahamas
Bahrain *	97.0	2001	86.5	2001	42.3	2001	1.0	2001
Bangladesh *	94.9	2019	74.7	2019	39.4	2019	1.03	2019
Barbados *	99.9	2014	99.6	2014	98.5	2014	1.0	2014
Belarus *	99.8	2009	99.6	2009	98.6	2009	1.0	2009
Belgium *
Belize *	77.6	1991	70.3	1991	44.8	1991	1.0	1991
Benin *	52.5	2012	32.9	2012	7.0	2012	0.6	2012
Bermuda *
Bhutan *	87.3	2012	57.0	2012	14.9	2012	0.9	2012
Bolivia *	99.4	2015	92.5	2015	67.5	2015	1.0	2015
Bonaire
Bosnia and Herzegovina *	99.7	2013	97.0	2013	86.0	2013	1.0	2013
Botswana *	97.7	2014	87.7	2014	40.7	2014	1.0	2014
Brazil *	99.7	2020	92.0	2015	74.3	2015	1.0	2015
British Virgin Islands *
Brunei *	99.4	2011	96.1	2011	61.6	2011	1.0	2011
Bulgaria *	97.9	2011	98.4	2011	97.5	2011	1.0	2011
Burkina Faso *	50.1	2014	34.6	2014	8.4	2014	0.8	2014
Burundi *	79.6	2014	61.6	2014	24.9	2014	0.9	2014
Cape Verde *	98.1	2015	86.8	2015	36.8	2015	1.0	2015
Cambodia *	92.2	2015	80.5	2015	53.1	2015	1.0	2015
Cameroon *	80.6	2010	71.3	2010	26.1	2010	0.9	2010
Canada *
Cayman Islands *	98.9	2007	98.9	2007	94.7	2007	1.0	2007