Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes in Mozambique

Mozambique: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes was 48.9% in 2017. ▲ Rising

Latest (2017)
48.9%
Change on year
up 10.6%
World rank
34th
of 38 countries
All-time high
48.9%
in 2017
All-time low
21.6%
in 1980
Years of data
5
1980–2017

Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes in Mozambique, 1980–2017

010203040501980199820171980: 21.6 %1997: 26.7 %2009: 39.3 %2015: 44.3 %2017: 48.9 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

Mozambique recorded 48.9% for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes in 2017. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.

That represents a change of up 10.6% on the previous year and up 24.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes in Mozambique peaked at 48.9% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 21.6%, in 1980.

Mozambique ranks 34th of 38 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes in Mozambique, year by year

Annual values for Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes (%) in Mozambique, 1980 to 2017.
Year % Change
1980 21.6%
1997 26.7% +23.3%
2009 39.3% +47.0%
2015 44.3% +12.7%
2017 48.9% +10.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 21.6% 21.6% 21.6% 1
1990s 26.7% 26.7% 26.7% 1
2000s 39.3% 39.3% 39.3% 1
2010s 46.6% 44.3% 48.9% 2

Countries ranked near Mozambique

  1. 31 Tunisia 64.4% compare
  2. 32 Egypt 64.0% compare
  3. 33 Morocco 55.1% compare
  4. 35 Pakistan 48.5% compare
  5. 36 Senegal 42.7% compare
  6. 37 Mali 25.6% compare

See the full ranking of 38 places →

More reference data data for Mozambique

All data for Mozambique →

Frequently asked questions

What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes in Mozambique?
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes in Mozambique was 48.9% in 2017, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes recorded in Mozambique?
The highest recorded value was 48.9% in 2017.
What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes recorded in Mozambique?
The lowest recorded value was 21.6% in 1980.
How does Mozambique rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes?
Mozambique ranks 34th out of 38 countries with data for 2017.
Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes rising or falling in Mozambique?
Over the last ten years it is up 24.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Mozambique data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes in Mozambique. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/adult-literacy-rate-population-15-years-rural-both-sexes-percent/mozambique/

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About this data

Indicator
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
38 places, 341 data points, 1976–2019
Last refreshed

Total number of adults in rural areas over age 15 who cannot both read and write with understanding a short simple statement on their everyday life. For more information, consult the UNESCO Institute of Statistics website: http://www.uis.unesco.org/Education/