Bangladesh vs India: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes

Bangladesh
70.7%
in 2019
India
71.6%
in 2018
Bangladesh rank
66th
India rank
64th

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes over time

  • Bangladesh
  • India
020406080198120002019

How they compare

India currently reports 71.6% against 70.7% in Bangladesh, a difference of 0.9%.

Across all 5 years both countries report, India has been ahead every year.

Bangladesh ranks 66th and India ranks 64th of 83 countries.

India has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Bangladesh India Difference Ahead
1980s 26.9% 37.1% 10.2% India
1990s 32.0% 44.1% 12.0% India
2000s 42.0% 57.0% 15.0% India
2010s 61.5% 68.5% 7.0% India

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes, Bangladesh or India?
India, at 71.6% against 70.7% in Bangladesh as of 2018.
What is the difference in literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes between Bangladesh and India?
0.9%, with India ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Bangladesh and India?
5 years are reported by both, from 1981 to 2018.
How do Bangladesh and India rank globally for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
Bangladesh ranks 66th and India ranks 64th of 83 countries.
Where does this data come from?
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes (%). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Bangladesh vs India: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 06 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-both-sexes-percent/bangladesh/india/

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About this data

Indicator
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
122 places, 2,220 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Percentage of the population between age 25 and age 64 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 25-64 years by the corresponding age group population and multiplying the result by 100.