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

Sri Lanka: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes was 91.2% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
91.2%
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
14th
of 38 countries
All-time high
91.9%
in 2016
All-time low
84.8%
in 1981
Years of data
8
1981–2018

Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes in Sri Lanka, 1981–2018

0204060801001981199920181981: 84.8 %2001: 90.3 %2006: 90.4 %2008: 90.2 %2010: 90.8 %2016: 91.9 %2017: 91.4 %2018: 91.2 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

Sri Lanka recorded 91.2% for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes in 2018.

That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and up 1.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes in Sri Lanka peaked at 91.9% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 84.8%, in 1981.

Sri Lanka ranks 14th of 38 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

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

Annual values for Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes (%) in Sri Lanka, 1981 to 2018.
Year % Change
1981 84.8%
2001 90.3% +6.5%
2006 90.4% +0.2%
2008 90.2% -0.3%
2010 90.8% +0.7%
2016 91.9% +1.2%
2017 91.4% -0.6%
2018 91.2% -0.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 84.8% 84.8% 84.8% 1
2000s 90.3% 90.2% 90.4% 3
2010s 91.3% 90.8% 91.9% 4

Countries ranked near Sri Lanka

  1. 11 Türkiye 91.8% compare
  2. 12 Chile 91.7% compare
  3. 13 Malaysia 91.3% compare
  4. 15 Paraguay 90.6% compare
  5. 16 Mexico 89.3% compare
  6. 17 Colombia 88.6% compare

See the full ranking of 38 places →

More reference data data for Sri Lanka

All data for Sri Lanka →

Frequently asked questions

What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes in Sri Lanka?
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes in Sri Lanka was 91.2% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes recorded in Sri Lanka?
The highest recorded value was 91.9% in 2016.
What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes recorded in Sri Lanka?
The lowest recorded value was 84.8% in 1981.
How does Sri Lanka rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes?
Sri Lanka ranks 14th out of 38 countries with data for 2018.
Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
Over the last ten years it is up 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Sri Lanka 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 Sri Lanka. 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/sri-lanka/

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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/