The "World Literacy Rate by Country" dataset provides a detailed snapshot of literacy rates across different countries in the world. This dataset is organized into several key columns:

S.No: This column lists the serial number for each country, helping to keep the data organized and easy to reference. Country: This column names the countries included in the dataset, allowing for a clear understanding of which nation each literacy rate pertains to. Literacy rate in percentage: This column shows the literacy rate of each country, expressed as a percentage. This figure represents the proportion of the population that can read and write. Year: This column indicates the year in which the literacy rate was recorded, providing a temporal context for the data. By examining this dataset, you can gain insights into the educational progress and challenges faced by different countries in the world.

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

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 2024, about 90.91 percent of men and a little less than 88.8 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.

Sweden: Literacy rate: The latest value from is percent, unavailable from percent in . In comparison, the world average is 0.00 percent, based on data from countries. Historically, the average for Sweden from to is percent. The minimum value, percent, was reached in while the maximum of percent was recorded in .

Graph and download economic data for Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Least Developed Countries (SEADTLITRZSLDC) from 1981 to 2024 about literacy, adult, and rate.

This dataset delves into the relationships between key indicators—Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Physician Density, and Literacy Rates. Understand how economic strength, healthcare access, and education intersect on a global scale.

Columns:

**Country: ** Names of the countries in focus.

GDP (Gross Domestic Product): - Shows a country's economic output. - Indicates overall economic health and productivity. - Presented in a standardized currency or index.

Physician Density: - Reveals the number of doctors per population. - Highlights a country's healthcare accessibility. - Gives insights into medical intervention capacity.

Literacy Rate: - Reflects the percentage of the population that can read and write. - Shows educational attainment and societal development. - Influences workforce productivity and social progress.

This dataset is a user-friendly resource for anyone curious about the connections between economic, healthcare, and educational factors across different countries. Ideal for researchers, policymakers, and enthusiasts looking to grasp the global dynamics of development.

The average for 2021 based on 11 countries was 98.77 percent. The highest value was in Latvia: 99.89 percent and the lowest value was in Malta: 94.94 percent. The indicator is available from 1970 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

In 2020, China had a youth literacy rate of about **** percent. In contrast, Afghanistan's youth literacy rate stood at **** percent in 2021.Indicators for the literacy rateAn indicator which can be seen to affect the literacy rate is the governmental effort in investing in education. The amount of funds invested into the education sector is a factor which can determine a country’s state of education, as the amount of money being spent on education would have an impact on resources, learning environment, and teaching quality. Singapore’s student-teacher ratio in primary education is significantly lower than that of South Asian countries. For instance, Nepal had 20.3 students for every teacher in 2019. Meanwhile, Singaporean teachers only had around **** students on average as of 2020. Notably, South Asia, together with sub-Saharan Africa, had a much higher illiteracy rate compared to the East Asian and Pacific region in 2022. The importance of literacyThe literacy rate indicates the percentage of people within a population who can read and write. This enables them to identify, understand and interpret materials with various contexts. Ensuring literacy for all pupils is a part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) for quality education. This in turn stimulates economic and societal growth for the future.

Graph and download economic data for Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Low Income Countries (SEADTLITRZSLIC) from 1988 to 2024 about literacy, adult, income, and rate.

Dataset Overview 📝

The dataset includes the following key indicators, collected for over 200 countries:

• Government Expenditure on Education (% of GDP): Shows the percentage of a country’s GDP allocated to education.
• Literacy Rate (Adult Total): Represents the percentage of the population aged 15 and above who can read and write.
• Primary Completion Rate: The percentage of children who complete their primary education within the official age group.
• Pupil-Teacher Ratio (Primary and Secondary Education): Indicates the average number of students per teacher at the primary and secondary levels.
• School Enrollment Rates (Primary, Secondary, Tertiary): Reflects the percentage of the relevant age group enrolled in schools across different education levels.

Data Source 🌐

World Bank: This dataset is compiled from the World Bank's educational database, providing reliable, updated statistics on educational progress worldwide.

Potential Use Cases 🔍 This dataset is ideal for anyone interested in:

Educational Research: Understanding how education spending and policies impact literacy, enrollment, and overall educational outcomes. Predictive Modeling: Building models to predict educational success factors, such as completion rates and literacy. Global Education Analysis: Analyzing trends in global education systems and how different countries allocate resources to education. Policy Development: Helping governments and organizations make data-driven decisions regarding educational reforms and funding.

Key Questions You Can Explore 🤔

How does government expenditure on education correlate with literacy rates and school enrollment across different regions? What are the trends in pupil-teacher ratios over time, and how do they affect educational outcomes? How do education indicators differ between low-income and high-income countries? Can we predict which countries will achieve universal primary education based on current trends?

Important Notes ⚠️ - Missing Data: Some values may be missing for certain years or countries. Consider using techniques like forward filling or interpolation when working with time series models. - Data Limitations: This dataset provides global averages and may not capture regional disparities within countries.

The average for 2021 based on 2 countries was 95.22 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.

The focus of this domain is on the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) countries on the southern and eastern shores of the Mediterranean (ENP-South), namely:

• Algeria (DZ),
• Egypt (EG),
• Israel (IL),
• Jordan (JO),
• Lebanon (LB),
• Libya (LY),
• Morocco (MA),
• Palestine (PS) (¹),
• Syria (SY) and
• Tunisia (TN).

An extensive range of indicators is presented in this domain, including indicators from almost every theme covered by European statistics. Only annual data are published in this domain.

The data and their denomination in no way constitute the expression of an opinion by the European Commission on the legal status of a country or territory or on the delimitation of its borders.

Data supplied by and under the responsibility of the national statistical authorities of each of the countries or territories.

(¹) This designation shall not be construed as recognition of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual positions of the Member States on this issue.

In 2020, the adult literacy rate among the population above 15 years of age in Mongolia amounted to approximately **** percent, more than in any other country in the Asia-Pacific region. Comparatively, the adult literacy rate in Afghanistan amounted to approximately ** percent of the population aged 15 years and above in 2021.

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.

The statistic shows the degree of adult literacy in China from 1982 to 2020. In 2020, the literacy rate, which is defined as people aged 15 and above who can read and write, had reached about 97.15 percent in China.

Global literacy rates

By 2020, around 86.8 percent of the world population aged 15 years and above had been able to read and write. While in developed regions this figure ranged a lot higher, only around 67 percent of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa was literate. Countries with the lowest literacy rates are also the most underdeveloped worldwide. According to UNESCO, literacy is a human right, especially in a fast-changing and technology-driven world. In China, the literacy rate has developed from 79 percent in 1982 to 97 percent in 2020, indicating that almost one million people per year had become literate over three decades. In India, the situation was entirely different. The second most populous country in the world displayed a literacy rate of merely 76 percent in 2022.

Literacy in China

The dramatic increase in literacy in China has a lot to do with the efficacy of numerous political, economic and educational policies. In 1982, compulsory education was written into the Chinese constitution, postulating a nine-year compulsory education funded by the government. As is shown by the graph above, there was a large gender gap in literacy rate in China as of 1982. Though this gap still existed in 2020, it was narrowed down to three percent, starting from 28 percent in 1982. Since 1990, the national education policy was directed at females, especially from poor and/or minority families. Over the past years, China has achieved gender parity in primary schooling.

However, regional literacy disparities in China should not to be overlooked. Regions with a strong economic background tend to display illiteracy rates below national average. In contrast, economically underdeveloped regions have a much larger share of people who cannot read nor write. Tibet for instance, a region where 92 percent of the population belong to an ethnic minority, showed the highest illiterate rate nationwide, with around 34 percent in 2022.

United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Least Developed Countries was 67.71457 % 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 Least Developed Countries reached a record high of 67.71457 in January of 2023 and a record low of 40.17880 in January of 1981. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Least Developed Countries - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on December of 2025.

Cross sectional data, all countries for the statistic Literacy_Rate_Adult_Total. Indicator Definition: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.Indicator Unit:The statistic is measured in Percent.Descriptive Statistics regarding the Indicator "Literacy Rate Adult Total":The number of countries with data stands at: 20 countries.The average value across those countries stands at: 92.82.The standard deviation across those countries stands at: 6.92.The lowest value stands at: 70.41, and was observed in Nigeria, which in this case constitutes the country that ranks last.The highest value stands at: 99.68, and was observed in Georgia, which in this case constitutes the country that ranks first.Looking at countries with values, the top 5 countries are:1. Georgia, actual value 99.68, actual ranking 1.2. Uruguay, actual value 98.91, actual ranking 2.3. United Arab Emirates, actual value 98.81, actual ranking 3.4. West Bank and Gaza, actual value 97.94, actual ranking 4.5. Saudi Arabia, actual value 97.93, actual ranking 5.Looking at countries with values, the bottom 5 countries are:1. Nigeria, actual value 70.41, actual ranking 20.2. Guatemala, actual value 82.11, actual ranking 19.3. Honduras, actual value 88.25, actual ranking 18.4. Cabo Verde, actual value 88.47, actual ranking 17.5. El Salvador, actual value 89.77, actual ranking 16.

United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Lower Middle Income Countries was 77.63182 % 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 Lower Middle Income Countries reached a record high of 77.63182 in January of 2023 and a record low of 47.38413 in January of 1975. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Lower Middle Income Countries - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on November of 2025.

Youth & Adult Literacy Rates

Demographics, disparities, and implications

By Eva Murray [source]

About this dataset

This dataset contains data on literacy rates for youth and adults in various regions and countries. The data provides insights on which regions have high or low literacy rates, as well as how literacy rates have changed over time. The dataset can be used to help policy-makers understand where interventions are needed to improve literacy rates

How to use the dataset

• The data can be used to compare literacy rates between different regions and countries, as well as between different age groups within the same region or country.
• To compare literacy rates between different regions, select the 'Region' column from the drop-down menu at the top of the page. To compare literacy rates between different countries, select the 'Country' column from the drop-down menu at the top of the page.
• To compare literacy rates between different age groups, select either the 'Youth (15-24 years)' or 'Adults (15+ years)' option from the 'Age Group' drop-down menu at the top of the page.
• You can also use this data to compare literacy rates between males and females by selecting either th e'Male' or 'Female' option from th eGender drop-down menu at t he top of

Research Ideas

• Measuring the progress of a country's literacy rate over time
• Comparing the literacy rates of different countries
• Comparing the literacy rates of different age groups in a country

Acknowledgements

Data Source

License

License: Dataset copyright by authors - You are free to: - Share - copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format for any purpose, even commercially. - Adapt - remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially. - You must: - Give appropriate credit - Provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. - ShareAlike - You must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original. - Keep intact - all notices that refer to this license, including copyright notices.

Columns

File: Literacy rates (no pw2).csv | Column name | Description | |:------------------|:--------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Region | The region the data is from. (String) | | Country | The country the data is from. (String) | | Year | The year the data is from. (Integer) | | Age | The age group the data is from. (String) | | Gender | The gender the data is from. (String) | | Literacy rate | The literacy rate for the given region, country, year, age, and gender. (Float) |

Acknowledgements

If you use this dataset in your research, please credit Eva Murray.

Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Low and Middle Income Countries was 85.17915 % of People Ages 15 and Above in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Low and Middle Income Countries reached a record high of 85.17915 in January of 2023 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 November of 2025.