Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Colombia

Colombia: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes was 96.8% in 2018. ▬ Flat

Latest (2018)
96.8%
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
14th
of 41 countries
All-time high
96.8%
in 2018
All-time low
94.7%
in 1993
Years of data
13
1993–2018

Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Colombia, 1993–2018

0204060801001993200520181993: 94.7 %1996: 95.1 %2005: 95.6 %2006: 95 %2007: 95.3 %2008: 95.8 %2009: 95.5 %2010: 95.5 %2011: 95.8 %2014: 96.1 %2015: 96.3 %2016: 96.5 %2018: 96.8 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2018, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Colombia stood at 96.8%. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.

The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 1.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Colombia peaked at 96.8% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 94.7%, in 1993.

Colombia ranks 14th of 41 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Colombia, year by year

Annual values for Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes (%) in Colombia, 1993 to 2018.
Year % Change
1993 94.7%
1996 95.1% +0.5%
2005 95.6% +0.4%
2006 95.0% -0.6%
2007 95.3% +0.3%
2008 95.8% +0.5%
2009 95.5% -0.3%
2010 95.5% +0.0%
2011 95.8% +0.3%
2014 96.1% +0.4%
2015 96.3% +0.1%
2016 96.5% +0.2%
2018 96.8% +0.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 94.9% 94.7% 95.1% 2
2000s 95.4% 95.0% 95.8% 5
2010s 96.2% 95.5% 96.8% 6

Countries ranked near Colombia

  1. 11 Kuwait 97.3% compare
  2. 12 Chile 97.1% compare
  3. 13 Mexico 97.1% compare
  4. 15 Ecuador 96.7% compare
  5. 16 Peru 96.6% compare
  6. 17 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 96.2% compare

See the full ranking of 41 places →

More reference data data for Colombia

All data for Colombia →

Frequently asked questions

What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Colombia?
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Colombia was 96.8% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes recorded in Colombia?
The highest recorded value was 96.8% in 2018.
What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes recorded in Colombia?
The lowest recorded value was 94.7% in 1993.
How does Colombia rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes?
Colombia ranks 14th out of 41 countries with data for 2018.
Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes rising or falling in Colombia?
Over the last ten years it is up 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Colombia data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Colombia. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 12 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/adult-literacy-rate-population-15-years-urban-both-sexes-percent/colombia/

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About this data

Indicator
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
41 places, 376 data points, 1976–2019
Last refreshed

Total number of adults in urban 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/