Maldives vs World: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes

Maldives
98.2%
in 2016
World
86.5%
in 2019
Maldives rank
18th
World rank
1st

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

  • Maldives
  • World
020406080100197619972019

How they compare

Maldives currently reports 98.2% against 86.5% in World, a difference of 11.7%.

That makes Maldives's figure about 1.1 times World's.

Across all 8 years both countries report, Maldives has been ahead every year.

Maldives ranks 18th and World ranks 1st of 83 countries.

Maldives has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Maldives World Difference Ahead
1970s 81.0% 63.8% 17.2% Maldives
1980s 90.6% 68.7% 21.9% Maldives
1990s 95.5% 74.6% 20.9% Maldives
2000s 97.2% 81.9% 15.4% Maldives
2010s 98.6% 85.6% 13.0% Maldives

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes, Maldives or World?
Maldives, at 98.2% against 86.5% in World as of 2016.
What is the difference in literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes between Maldives and World?
11.7%, with Maldives ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Maldives and World?
8 years are reported by both, from 1977 to 2016.
How do Maldives and World rank globally for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
Maldives ranks 18th and World ranks 1st 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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Maldives vs World: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 28 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-both-sexes-percent/maldives/world/

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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.