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.

In 2020, the highest percentage of female literacy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region was in Jordan at about **** percent of the females. Within the region, Syria, Libya and Iraq have been suffering from conflict and humanitarian crises.

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.

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.

Egypt EG: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data was reported at 67.180 % in 2013. This records an increase from the previous number of 65.757 % for 2012. Egypt EG: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 50.704 % from Dec 1976 (Median) to 2013, with 8 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 67.180 % in 2013 and a record low of 22.438 % in 1976. Egypt EG: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Egypt – Table EG.World Bank.WDI: 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).

Iran IR: Literacy Rate: Youth Female: % of Females Aged 15-24 data was reported at 97.678 % in 2014. This records an increase from the previous number of 97.438 % for 2013. Iran IR: Literacy Rate: Youth Female: % of Females Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 96.435 % from Dec 1976 (Median) to 2014, with 10 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 97.678 % in 2014 and a record low of 42.328 % in 1976. Iran IR: 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 Iran – Table IR.World Bank.WDI: 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).

Afghanistan Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data was reported at 26.597 % in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 23.000 % for 2021. Afghanistan Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 17.086 % from Dec 1979 (Median) to 2022, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 26.597 % in 2022 and a record low of 5.000 % in 1979. Afghanistan Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Afghanistan – Table AF.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;

Ethiopia: Female literacy rate, ages 15-24: The latest value from 2019 is 70.29 percent, a decline from 71.97 percent in 2017. In comparison, the world average is 90.42 percent, based on data from 50 countries. Historically, the average for Ethiopia from 1994 to 2019 is 47.14 percent. The minimum value, 27.02 percent, was reached in 2000 while the maximum of 71.97 percent was recorded in 2017.

Literacy rate, youth female (% of females ages 15-24) in Saudi Arabia was reported at 99 % in 2020, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Saudi Arabia - Literacy rate, youth female (% of females ages 15-24) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Czech Republic CZ: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data was reported at 99.868 % in 2016. Czech Republic CZ: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 99.868 % from Dec 2016 (Median) to 2016, with 1 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 99.868 % in 2016 and a record low of 99.868 % in 2016. Czech Republic CZ: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Czech Republic – Table CZ.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;

Literacy rate, youth female (% of females ages 15-24) in India was reported at 96 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. India - Literacy rate, youth female (% of females ages 15-24) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Vietnam VN: Literacy Rate: Youth Female: % of Females Aged 15-24 data was reported at 96.781 % in 2009. This records an increase from the previous number of 94.056 % for 2000. Vietnam VN: Literacy Rate: Youth Female: % of Females Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 94.023 % from Dec 1979 (Median) to 2009, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 96.781 % in 2009 and a record low of 93.402 % in 1989. Vietnam VN: 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 Vietnam – Table VN.World Bank.WDI: 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).

Panama PA: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data was reported at 93.485 % in 2010. This records an increase from the previous number of 91.247 % for 2000. Panama PA: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 89.731 % from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2010, with 4 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 93.485 % in 2010 and a record low of 88.047 % in 1980. Panama PA: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Panama – Table PA.World Bank.WDI: 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).

In 2021, the literacy rate for females in Singapore was 96.4 percent. While the female literacy rate in Singapore has shown a steady increase over the last ten years, it is still lower than the male literacy rate, which stands at 98.9 percent as of 2021.

Literacy rate, youth female (% of females ages 15-24) in Mexico was reported at 99.17 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Mexico - Literacy rate, youth female (% of females ages 15-24) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Angola AO: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data was reported at 62.500 % in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 51.926 % for 2015. Angola AO: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 53.500 % from Dec 2001 (Median) to 2022, with 4 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 62.500 % in 2022 and a record low of 51.926 % in 2015. Angola AO: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Angola – Table AO.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;

Literacy rate, youth female (% of females ages 15-24) in Iraq was reported at 87.38 % in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Iraq - Literacy rate, youth female (% of females ages 15-24) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Literacy rate, youth female (% of females ages 15-24) in Colombia was reported at 99.2 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Colombia - Literacy rate, youth female (% of females ages 15-24) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Literacy rate, youth female (% of females ages 15-24) in Mali was reported at 38 % in 2020, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Mali - Literacy rate, youth female (% of females ages 15-24) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Literacy rate, youth female (% of females ages 15-24) in Niger was reported at 40.36 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Niger - Literacy rate, youth female (% of females ages 15-24) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.