Spain literacy rate for 2020 was 99.00%, a 1% increase from 2018.

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<li>Spain literacy rate for 2018 was <strong>98.00%</strong>, a <strong>0% increase</strong> from 2016.</li>
<li>Spain literacy rate for 2016 was <strong>98.00%</strong>, a <strong>0% increase</strong> from 2015.</li>
<li>Spain literacy rate for 2015 was <strong>98.00%</strong>, a <strong>0% increase</strong> from 2014.</li>
</ul>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.

The statistic depicts the literacy rate in Spain from 2008 to 2020. The literacy rate measures the percentage of people aged 15 and above who can read and write. In 2020, Spain's literacy rate was around 98.59 percent.

Adult literacy rate of Spain improved by 1.02% from 98.0 % in 2018 to 99.0 % in 2020. 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.

Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) in Spain was reported at 99 % in 2020, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Spain - 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.

Spain ES: Literacy Rate: Youth: % of People Age 15-24 data was reported at 99.622 % in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 99.656 % for 2015. Spain ES: Literacy Rate: Youth: % of People Age 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 99.597 % from Dec 1981 (Median) to 2016, with 14 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 99.723 % in 2014 and a record low of 98.642 % in 1981. Spain ES: 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 Spain – Table ES.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).

Spain: Literacy rate: The latest value from 2020 is 99 percent, an increase from 98 percent in 2018. In comparison, the world average is 86.55 percent, based on data from 33 countries. Historically, the average for Spain from 1981 to 2020 is 97.59 percent. The minimum value, 93 percent, was reached in 1981 while the maximum of 99 percent was recorded in 2020.

Spain ES: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data was reported at 97.695 % in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 97.547 % for 2015. Spain ES: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 97.035 % from Dec 1981 (Median) to 2016, with 14 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 97.695 % in 2016 and a record low of 89.937 % in 1981. Spain ES: 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 Spain – Table ES.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).

Literacy rate, youth female (% of females ages 15-24) in Spain was reported at 100 % in 2020, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Spain - Literacy rate, youth female (% of females ages 15-24) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on May of 2025.

Spain ES: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Literacy Rate: Youth Aged 15-24 data was reported at 1.000 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1.001 Ratio for 2015. Spain ES: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Literacy Rate: Youth Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 1.000 Ratio from Dec 1981 (Median) to 2016, with 14 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.002 Ratio in 2010 and a record low of 0.999 Ratio in 2009. Spain ES: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Literacy Rate: Youth Aged 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Spain – Table ES.World Bank: Education Statistics. Gender parity index for youth literacy rate is the ratio of females to males 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).

ES: Literacy Rate: Adult Male: % of Males Aged 15 and Above data was reported at 98.836 % in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 98.771 % for 2015. ES: Literacy Rate: Adult Male: % of Males Aged 15 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 98.571 % from Dec 1981 (Median) to 2016, with 14 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 98.836 % in 2016 and a record low of 95.898 % in 1981. ES: Literacy Rate: Adult Male: % of Males Aged 15 and Above data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Spain – Table ES.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).

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male (%) in Spain was reported at 97.13 % in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Spain - Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Spain ES: Literacy Rate: Youth Male: % of Males Aged 15-24 data was reported at 99.638 % in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 99.619 % for 2015. Spain ES: Literacy Rate: Youth Male: % of Males Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 99.600 % from Dec 1981 (Median) to 2016, with 14 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 99.757 % in 2014 and a record low of 98.641 % in 1981. Spain ES: 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 Spain – Table ES.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).

Spain ES: Literacy Rate: Adult: % of People Aged 15 and Above data was reported at 98.251 % in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 98.143 % for 2015. Spain ES: Literacy Rate: Adult: % of People Aged 15 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 97.767 % from Dec 1981 (Median) to 2016, with 14 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 98.251 % in 2016 and a record low of 92.810 % in 1981. Spain ES: 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 Spain – Table ES.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).

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, female (%) in Spain was reported at 93.73 % in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Spain - Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, female - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on May of 2025.

Spain ES: Literacy Rate: Youth Female: % of Females Aged 15-24 data was reported at 99.606 % in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 99.694 % for 2015. Spain ES: Literacy Rate: Youth Female: % of Females Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 99.604 % from Dec 1981 (Median) to 2016, with 14 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 99.746 % in 2011 and a record low of 98.643 % in 1981. Spain ES: 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 Spain – Table ES.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).

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes (%) in Spain was reported at 95.22 % in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Spain - Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Between 2019 and 2022, it was reported that more than seven in 10 adults in Spain had information literacy. This refers to the ability to verify the reliability of information, get information about goods or services, or read or download newspapers. Furthermore, about 50 percent reported having communication and collaboration skills, including sending messages with attached files, making calls over the internet, participating in social networks, and taking part in consultation or voting via the internet.

Literacy rate, youth (ages 15-24), gender parity index (GPI) in Spain was reported at 1 % in 2020, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Spain - Ratio of young literate females to males (% ages 15-24) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

In Spain, during a 2023 survey, 52 percent of respondents aged 14 years or above reported reading books daily or weekly. In contrast, almost 36 percent said that they never read books (or did so very rarely). The share who say they never read is on the decline whereas the share reading very regularly remains stable.

BackgroundHealth literacy (HL) is the set of social and cognitive skills that determine person’s level of motivation and the ability to access, understand and use information to promote and maintain good health. The aim of this study is to assess the level of health literacy, and to analyze its relationship with sociodemographic variables, state of health, and use of health services in the population aged 15 and over in the Valencian Community (Spain).MethodsCross-sectional study based on a sample of 5,485 subjects participating in the Health Survey of the Valencia Community. The HLS-EU-Q16 was used. As outcome variables we considered HL categorized into 2 levels: Inadequate or Problematic HL and Sufficient HL and the standardized literacy index. Prevalence rates and HL means were estimated and OR were calculated to analyze the association between variables.ResultsA total of 12.8% of the subjects surveyed presented an inadequate or problematic degree of HL. This percentage was higher in people >85 years (63.1%), with a low level of education (46.5%), in retired people (27.4%) or in other work situations (25.0%), in foreigners (18.1%), in low-income people (16.2%), with a perception of poor health status (26.9%), chronic disease (18.5%) or with activity limitations (56.4% severe, 19.7% not severe). Significant differences were found. With the exception of chronic disease, all the variables analyzed were associated with HL. Low HL was associated with a lower consumption of medicines, a greater use of health services, general medical consultations, poorer knowledge of new health technologies and fewer preventive health visits.ConclusionThe percentage of inadequate or problematic HL was globally not very high, but certain population subgroups notably presented a high degree of inadequate or problematic HL. Raising the HL level of such groups should be regarded as a priority. HL was shown to be associated with the service use and new health technology use. Enhancing the population’s HL should lead to the following: a greater probability of adopting preventive practices; improving the use of the health system; and boosting people’s abilities to manage and to improve their own health.