El Salvador vs South Africa: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes

El Salvador
89.8%
in 2018
South Africa
87.7%
in 2017
El Salvador rank
49th
South Africa rank
51st

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

  • El Salvador
  • South Africa
020406080100198019992018

How they compare

El Salvador currently reports 89.8% against 87.7% in South Africa, a difference of 2.1%.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 6 shared years of data; in 2007 it was South Africa ahead.

El Salvador ranks 49th and South Africa ranks 51st of 83 countries.

South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade El Salvador South Africa Difference Ahead
2000s 82.8% 91.0% 8.3% South Africa
2010s 86.4% 92.3% 5.9% South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes, El Salvador or South Africa?
El Salvador, at 89.8% against 87.7% in South Africa as of 2018.
What is the difference in literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes between El Salvador and South Africa?
2.1%, with El Salvador ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for El Salvador and South Africa?
6 years are reported by both, from 2007 to 2017.
How do El Salvador and South Africa rank globally for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
El Salvador ranks 49th and South Africa ranks 51st 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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El Salvador vs South Africa: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-both-sexes-percent/el-salvador/south-africa/

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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.