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.

In 2023, the average adult literacy rates (15 years and older) in Latin America and the Caribbean amounted to 94.79 percent. Literacy rates in Latin America and the Caribbean have been slightly improving in all three age groups since 2014.

United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for the Arab World was 73.36777 % of People Ages 15 and Above in January of 2020, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for the Arab World reached a record high of 75.76682 in January of 2017 and a record low of 44.90297 in January of 1977. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for the Arab World - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on March of 2025.

United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Small States was 87.10611 % of People Ages 15 and Above in January of 2020, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Small States reached a record high of 87.10611 in January of 2020 and a record low of 76.87106 in January of 1986. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Small States - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on March of 2025.

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.

The average for 2021 based on 12 countries was 98.27 percent. The highest value was in Costa Rica: 99.53 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.

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.

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.

Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Low and Middle Income Countries was 84.54367 % of People Ages 15 and Above in January of 2020, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Low and Middle Income Countries reached a record high of 84.54367 in January of 2020 and a record low of 59.01323 in January of 1975. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Low and Middle Income Countries - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on March of 2025.

National Assessment of Adult Literacy, 2003 (NAAL:2003), is a study that is part of the National Assessment of Adult Literacy program. NAAL:2003 (https://nces.ed.gov/naal/) is a cross-sectional assessment that collected information about English literacy among American adults age 16 and older. The study was conducted using direct assessment from 19,000 adults 16 or older, in their homes and some in prisons from the 50 states and District of Columbia. Households and prison inmates were sampled in 2003. The weighted response rate was 62.1 percent for households and 88.3 percent for prison inmates. Key statistics produced from NAAL:2003 include reading skills, general literacy, relationships, demographics, and background characteristics.

The statistic depicts the literacy rate in Mexico from 2008 to 2020. The literacy rate measures the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can read and write. In 2020, Mexico's literacy rate was around 95.25 percent. The source does not provide data for 2019.Education in MexicoThe literacy rate is commonly defined as the share of people in a country who are older than 15 years and are able to read and write. In Mexico, a state with more than 115 million inhabitants, the literacy rate is above 90 percent, making it significantly higher than the global average. More than 70 percent of Mexico’s population is older than 15 years, a figure than has been quite consistent over the last ten years. Mexico’s compulsory education comprises grades 1 to 9, with an optional secondary education up to grade 12. Literacy is considered basic education. The lowest literacy rates can be found in African countries, the highest in Europe. Additionally, the literacy rate is one of the factors that determines a country’s ranking on the Human Development Index of the United Nations, which ranks the overall well-being of a country’s population. Apart from literacy, it also includes factors such as per-capita income, health and life expectancy and others. Mexico is currently not among the countries with the highest Human Development Index value.

A survey conducted in the United States in August 2023 found that digital literacy among U.S. adults varied depending on the age group. Younger generations, aged 18 to 29, showed a much higher awareness of digital topics, such as online privacy, and an understanding of generative AI. However, there was a notable gap between them and individuals 65 and older. For example, only 26 percent of respondents older than 65 years could identify an example of two-factor authentication, compared to 68 percent of younger respondents.

Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Georgia was 99.55844 % of People Ages 15 and Above in January of 2019, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Georgia reached a record high of 99.75962 in January of 2015 and a record low of 99.36426 in January of 2017. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Georgia - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on March of 2025.

The average for 2021 based on 12 countries was 98.12 percent. The highest value was in Bolivia: 99.5 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.

Graph and download economic data for Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Developing Countries in Latin America and Caribbean (SEADTLITRZSLAC) from 1974 to 2023 about Caribbean Economies, Latin America, literacy, adult, and rate.

Literacy Rate, Adult Total for South Asia was 73.65452 % of People Ages 15 and Above in January of 2020, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Literacy Rate, Adult Total for South Asia reached a record high of 73.65452 in January of 2020 and a record low of 36.24779 in January of 1975. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Literacy Rate, Adult Total for South Asia - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on March of 2025.

Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Developing Countries in Europe and Central Asia was 99.07747 % of People Ages 15 and Above in January of 2020, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Developing Countries in Europe and Central Asia reached a record high of 99.07747 in January of 2020 and a record low of 93.99758 in January of 1983. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Developing Countries in Europe and Central Asia - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on March of 2025.

Literacy Rate, Adult Total for the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste was 68.06683 % of People Ages 15 and Above in January of 2018, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Literacy Rate, Adult Total for the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste reached a record high of 68.06683 in January of 2018 and a record low of 37.60000 in January of 2001. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Literacy Rate, Adult Total for the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on March of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Literacy Rate, Adult Total for the World (SEADTLITRZSWLD) from 1976 to 2023 about literacy, adult, World, and rate.

Literacy Rate, Adult Total for the Kyrgyz Republic was 99.58600 % of People Ages 15 and Above in January of 2018, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Literacy Rate, Adult Total for the Kyrgyz Republic reached a record high of 99.58600 in January of 2018 and a record low of 98.70161 in January of 1999. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Literacy Rate, Adult Total for the Kyrgyz Republic - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on March of 2025.