Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan vs Palestine: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
79.7%
in 2019
Palestine
97.5%
in 2018
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank
22nd
Palestine rank
24th

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

  • Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
  • Palestine
020406080100197319962019

How they compare

Palestine currently reports 97.5% against 79.7% in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, a difference of 17.8%.

That makes Palestine's figure about 1.2 times Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan's.

Across all 14 years both countries report, Palestine has been ahead every year.

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 22nd and Palestine ranks 24th of 39 groups.

Palestine has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan Palestine Difference Ahead
1990s 60.8% 85.3% 24.5% Palestine
2000s 72.9% 93.6% 20.7% Palestine
2010s 77.5% 96.1% 18.5% Palestine

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes, Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan or Palestine?
Palestine, at 97.5% against 79.7% in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan as of 2018.
What is the difference in literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes between Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan and Palestine?
17.8%, with Palestine ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan and Palestine?
14 years are reported by both, from 1997 to 2018.
How do Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan and Palestine rank globally for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 22nd and Palestine ranks 24th of 39 groups.
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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Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan vs Palestine: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 18 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-both-sexes-percent/middle-east-north-africa-afghanistan-and-pakistan/west-bank-and-gaza/

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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.