Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, female in South Africa

South Africa: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, female was 76.8% in 2017. ▲ Rising

Latest (2017)
76.8%
Change on year
down 11.4%
World rank
23rd
of 36 countries
All-time high
86.7%
in 2015
All-time low
68.8%
in 1996
Years of data
8
1996–2017

Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, female in South Africa, 1996–2017

0204060801996200620171996: 68.8 %2009: 84.9 %2010: 84.3 %2011: 84.9 %2012: 85.4 %2014: 86.3 %2015: 86.7 %2017: 76.8 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 76.8% for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, female in 2017.

The figure is down 11.4% on the previous year and down 9.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, female in South Africa peaked at 86.7% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 68.8%, in 1996.

South Africa ranks 23rd of 36 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, female in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, female (%) in South Africa, 1996 to 2017.
Year % Change
1996 68.8%
2009 84.9% +23.4%
2010 84.3% -0.8%
2011 84.9% +0.8%
2012 85.4% +0.5%
2014 86.3% +1.1%
2015 86.7% +0.5%
2017 76.8% -11.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 68.8% 68.8% 68.8% 1
2000s 84.9% 84.9% 84.9% 1
2010s 84.1% 76.8% 86.7% 6

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 20 Honduras 80.2% compare
  2. 21 El Salvador 79.2% compare
  3. 22 Peru 77.4% compare
  4. 24 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 75.0% compare
  5. 25 Cambodia 70.9% compare
  6. 26 Iran, Islamic Republic of 66.5% compare

See the full ranking of 36 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, female in South Africa?
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, female in South Africa was 76.8% in 2017, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, female recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 86.7% in 2015.
What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, female recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 68.8% in 1996.
How does South Africa rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, female?
South Africa ranks 23rd out of 36 countries with data for 2017.
Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, female rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 9.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, female in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/adult-literacy-rate-population-15-years-rural-female-percent/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, female (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
36 places, 331 data points, 1976–2019
Last refreshed

Total number of females 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/