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

Philippines
98.2%
in 2015
World
86.5%
in 2019
Philippines rank
17th
World rank
1st

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

  • Philippines
  • World
020406080100197619972019

How they compare

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

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

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

Philippines ranks 17th and World ranks 1st of 83 countries.

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

Head to head by decade

Decade Philippines World Difference Ahead
1980s 81.5% 65.4% 16.2% Philippines
1990s 93.2% 74.3% 18.9% Philippines
2000s 93.1% 82.2% 10.9% Philippines
2010s 97.2% 85.2% 12.1% Philippines

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes, Philippines or World?
Philippines, at 98.2% against 86.5% in World as of 2015.
What is the difference in literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes between Philippines and World?
11.7%, with Philippines ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Philippines and World?
8 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2015.
How do Philippines and World rank globally for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
Philippines ranks 17th 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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Philippines vs World: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 23 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-both-sexes-percent/philippines/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.