There is a gender gap in the global literacy rate. Although literacy rates have generally increased worldwide for both men and women, men are on average more literate than women. As of 2023, about 90.6 percent of men and a little less than 84.1 percent of women worldwide were literate. Adult literacy rate is defined as the percentage of people aged 15 years and above who can both read and write with understanding a short, simple statement about their everyday life. Youth literacy rate Not only does the literacy gender gap concern adults, it also exists among the world’s younger generations aged 15 to 24. Despite an overall increase in literacy, young men are still more literate than young women. In fact, the global youth literacy rate as gender parity index was 0.98 as of 2023, indicating that young women are not yet as literate as young men. Gender pay gap Gender gaps occur in many different spheres of global society. One such issue concerns salary gender gaps in professional life. Regarding the controlled gender pay gap, which measures the median salary for men and women with the same job and qualifications, women still earned less than men as of 2024. The difference was even bigger when measuring the median salary for all men and women. However, not everyone worries about gender pay gaps. According to a survey from 2021, 54 percent of the female respondents deemed the gender pay gap a real problem, compared to 45 percent of the male respondents.

In the past five decades, the global literacy rate among adults has grown from 67 percent in 1976 to 87.36 percent in 2023. In 1976, males had a literacy rate of 76 percent, compared to a rate of 58 percent among females. This difference of over 17 percent in 1976 has fallen to just seven percent in 2020. Although gaps in literacy rates have fallen across all regions in recent decades, significant disparities remain across much of South Asia and Africa, while the difference is below one percent in Europe and the Americas. Reasons for these differences are rooted in economic and cultural differences across the globe. In poorer societies, families with limited means are often more likely to invest in their sons' education, while their daughters take up a more domestic role. Varieties do exist on national levels, however, and female literacy levels can sometimes exceed the male rate even in impoverished nations, such as Lesotho (where the difference was over 17 percent in 2014); nonetheless, these are exceptions to the norm.

United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Other Small States was 86.25975 % of People Ages 15 and Above in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Other Small States reached a record high of 86.25975 in January of 2023 and a record low of 71.82288 in January of 1983. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Other Small States - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) in World was reported at 87.36 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. World - Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on August of 2025.

The average for 2021 based on 58 countries was 92.58 percent. The highest value was in Romania: 100 percent and the lowest value was in Afghanistan: 42 percent. The indicator is available from 1970 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) in Sudan was reported at 60.7 % in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Sudan - Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on August of 2025.

The average for 2021 based on 3 countries was 94.81 percent. The highest value was in Costa Rica: 98.04 percent and the lowest value was in Puerto Rico: 92.4 percent. The indicator is available from 1970 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Historical chart and dataset showing Mali literacy rate by year from 1976 to 2020.

Literacy Rate: Uttar Pradesh data was reported at 67.700 % in 12-01-2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 56.270 % for 12-01-2001. Literacy Rate: Uttar Pradesh data is updated decadal, averaging 32.650 % from Dec 1951 (Median) to 12-01-2011, with 7 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 67.700 % in 12-01-2011 and a record low of 12.020 % in 12-01-1951. Literacy Rate: Uttar Pradesh data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Education Sector – Table IN.EDA001: Literacy Rate.

Literacy Rate: Delhi data was reported at 86.200 % in 12-01-2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 81.670 % for 12-01-2001. Literacy Rate: Delhi data is updated decadal, averaging 73.615 % from Dec 1961 (Median) to 12-01-2011, with 6 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 86.200 % in 12-01-2011 and a record low of 61.950 % in 12-01-1961. Literacy Rate: Delhi data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Education Sector – Table IN.EDA001: Literacy Rate.

Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) in Mali was reported at 31 % in 2020, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Mali - Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on August of 2025.

Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) in India was reported at 77 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. India - Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Adult literacy rate of Burundi jumped by 11.09% from 68.00 % in 2017 to 75.54 % in 2022. Since the 18.64% drop in 2008, adult literacy rate shot up by 57.38% in 2022. Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can, with understanding, read and write a short, simple statement on their everyday life.

Graph and download economic data for Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Small States (SEADTLITRZSSST) from 1987 to 2023 about literacy, adult, and rate.

Adult literacy rate of Poland improved by 0.50% from 99.3 % in 1988 to 99.8 % in 2021. Since the 0.30% growth in 1988, adult literacy rate grew by 0.50% in 2021. Adult (15+) literacy rate (%). Total is the percentage of the population age 15 and above who can, with understanding, read and write a short, simple statement on their everyday life. Generally, ‘literacy’ also encompasses ‘numeracy’, the ability to make simple arithmetic calculations. This indicator is calculated by dividing the number of literates aged 15 years and over by the corresponding age group population and multiplying the result by 100.

Cuba CU: Literacy Rate: Youth: % of People Age 15-24 data was reported at 99.875 % in 2021. This records an increase from the previous number of 99.612 % for 2019. Cuba CU: Literacy Rate: Youth: % of People Age 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 100.000 % from Dec 1981 (Median) to 2021, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 100.000 % in 2012 and a record low of 99.612 % in 2019. Cuba CU: Literacy Rate: Youth: % of People Age 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Cuba – Table CU.World Bank.WDI: Social: Education Statistics. Youth literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15-24 who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.;UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). UIS.Stat Bulk Data Download Service. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://apiportal.uis.unesco.org/bdds.;Weighted average;

Argentina AR: Literacy Rate: Adult: % of People Aged 15 and Above data was reported at 97.193 % in 2001. This records an increase from the previous number of 96.041 % for 1991. Argentina AR: Literacy Rate: Adult: % of People Aged 15 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 96.041 % from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2001, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 97.193 % in 2001 and a record low of 93.913 % in 1980. Argentina AR: Literacy Rate: Adult: % of People Aged 15 and Above data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Argentina – Table AR.World Bank.WDI: Social: Education Statistics. Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.;UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). UIS.Stat Bulk Data Download Service. Accessed September 19, 2023. https://apiportal.uis.unesco.org/bdds.;Weighted average;

The rate of adult literacy as share of the country's population 15 years and above in Brazil was 94.69 percent in 2022. Between 1980 and 2022, the rate of adult literacy rose by 19.69 percentage points, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend.

Jordan: Literacy rate: The latest value from 2023 is 95 percent, a decline from 95.43 percent in 2018. In comparison, the world average is 92.00 percent, based on data from 5 countries. Historically, the average for Jordan from 1979 to 2023 is 90.83 percent. The minimum value, 67 percent, was reached in 1979 while the maximum of 98 percent was recorded in 2012.

Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) in Kenya was reported at 82.88 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Kenya - Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.