In 2023, ***** percent of people aged 15 years and above in Africa were able to read and write a simple statement and understand it. Regionally, Southern Africa presented the highest literacy rate, at around ** percent. North and East Africa had similar shares of literate people, at over ** percent. In contrast, **** percent and ** percent of the adult population in Central and West Africa could read and write.

In 2020, the Seychelles ranked first by rate of adult literacy as share of the country's population 15 years and above among the 53 countries presented in the ranking. Seychelles' rate of adult literacy amounted to ***** percent, while Equatorial Guinea (2010) and Sao Tome and Principe (2022), the second and third countries, had records amounting to ***** percent and ***** percent, respectively.

In 2023, the rate of adult literacy as share of the country's population 15 years and above in Sub-Saharan Africa remained nearly unchanged at around 68.2 percent. Still, the rate of adult literacy reached its highest value in the observed period in 2023. The adult literacy rate refers to the share of individuals aged 15 years and older who can read and write as well as understand simple expressions about their daily lives.

Graph and download economic data for Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Developing Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SEADTLITRZSSSA) from 1985 to 2024 about Sub-Saharan Africa, literacy, adult, and rate.

The average for 2021 based on 13 countries was 75.38 percent. The highest value was in Mauritius: 99.58 percent and the lowest value was in Guinea: 49.09 percent. The indicator is available from 1970 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

South Africa ZA: Literacy Rate: Adult: % of People Aged 15 and Above data was reported at 94.368 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 94.140 % for 2014. South Africa ZA: Literacy Rate: Adult: % of People Aged 15 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 92.895 % from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2015, with 9 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 94.368 % in 2015 and a record low of 76.200 % in 1980. South Africa ZA: 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 South Africa – Table ZA.World Bank: 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; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

Historical dataset showing Africa literacy rate by year from N/A to N/A.

Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) in Central African Republic was reported at 37.49 % in 2020, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Central African Republic - Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

Historical dataset showing Sub-Saharan Africa literacy rate by year from 1985 to 2023.

The average for 2021 based on 13 countries was 81.92 percent. The highest value was in Mauritius: 99.04 percent and the lowest value was in Burkina Faso: 66.65 percent. The indicator is available from 1970 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

As of 2021, South Africa's total literacy rate was around 90 percent, which means 90 percent of all South Africans could read and write. There is literally no definitionThe literacy rate measures the percentage of people aged 15 and above who can read and write. There is no common definition for what counts as being literate; individual countries use individual assessments and standards to define it. Despite this, the literacy rate is an important indicator of the standard of education and thus the standard of living in a country. Sub-standard Sub-SaharaAlthough its educational system does not have the best reputation, South Africa’s literacy rate is well above average among their geographical peers in Sub-Saharan Africa. Illiteracy is still a significant global problem, and Sub-Saharan Africa is not among the leading regions when it comes to literacy and education. In 2011, 32 million children of primary school age did not go to school in that region, but projections see enrollment figures increasing in the future – if true, this could not only improve the region’s literacy rates, but also its standard of living and human progress in general.

Central African Republic CF: Literacy Rate: Adult: % of People Aged 15 and Above data was reported at 37.490 % in 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 42.443 % for 2019. Central African Republic CF: Literacy Rate: Adult: % of People Aged 15 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 37.000 % from Dec 1975 (Median) to 2020, with 7 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 51.000 % in 2000 and a record low of 18.000 % in 1975. Central African Republic CF: 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 Central African Republic – Table CF.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 April 5, 2025. https://apiportal.uis.unesco.org/bdds.;Weighted average;

Dataset

This dataset was created by Pavan Sanagapati

Released under CC0: Public Domain

Contents

It contains the following files:

This dataset provides values for LITERACY RATE ADULT TOTAL PERCENT OF PEOPLE AGES 15 AND ABOVE WB DATA.HTML reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

Graph and download economic data for Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Developing Countries in Middle East and North Africa (SEADTLITRZSMNA) from 1972 to 2023 about North Africa, Middle East, literacy, adult, and rate.

Graph and download economic data for Literacy Rate, Adult Total: All Income Levels for Middle East and North Africa (SEADTLITRZSMEA) from 1973 to 2024 about North Africa, Middle East, literacy, adult, income, and rate.

South Africa ZA: Literacy Rate: Youth Female: % of Females Aged 15-24 data was reported at 99.229 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 99.084 % for 2014. South Africa ZA: Literacy Rate: Youth Female: % of Females Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 98.901 % from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2015, with 9 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 99.271 % in 2012 and a record low of 84.973 % in 1980. South Africa ZA: Literacy Rate: Youth Female: % of Females Aged 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.World Bank: 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; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

South Africa ZA: Literacy Rate: Youth Male: % of Males Aged 15-24 data was reported at 98.685 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 98.682 % for 2014. South Africa ZA: Literacy Rate: Youth Male: % of Males Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 98.389 % from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2015, with 9 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 98.685 % in 2015 and a record low of 85.346 % in 1980. South Africa ZA: Literacy Rate: Youth Male: % of Males Aged 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.World Bank: 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; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

Historical dataset showing South Africa literacy rate by year from 1980 to 2021.

Actual value and historical data chart for South Africa Literacy Rate Adult Male Percent Of Males Ages 15 And Above