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

Malaysia: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes was 95.9% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
95.9%
Change on year
down 0.4%
World rank
20th
of 41 countries
All-time high
96.3%
in 2017
All-time low
88.9%
in 1991
Years of data
6
1991–2018

Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Malaysia, 1991–2018

0204060801001991200420181991: 88.9 %2000: 92.7 %2010: 95.1 %2016: 96.1 %2017: 96.3 %2018: 95.9 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

Malaysia recorded 95.9% for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes in 2018.

The figure is down 0.4% on the previous year and up 0.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Malaysia peaked at 96.3% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 88.9%, in 1991.

That places Malaysia 20th out of 41 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.

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

Annual values for Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes (%) in Malaysia, 1991 to 2018.
Year % Change
1991 88.9%
2000 92.7% +4.3%
2010 95.1% +2.6%
2016 96.1% +1.0%
2017 96.3% +0.2%
2018 95.9% -0.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 88.9% 88.9% 88.9% 1
2000s 92.7% 92.7% 92.7% 1
2010s 95.8% 95.1% 96.3% 4

Countries ranked near Malaysia

  1. 17 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 96.2% compare
  2. 18 Türkiye 96.2% compare
  3. 19 Paraguay 95.9% compare
  4. 21 Thailand 95.8% compare
  5. 22 Dominican Republic 95.1% compare
  6. 23 Brazil 94.9% compare

See the full ranking of 41 places →

More reference data data for Malaysia

All data for Malaysia →

Frequently asked questions

What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Malaysia?
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Malaysia was 95.9% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes recorded in Malaysia?
The highest recorded value was 96.3% in 2017.
What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes recorded in Malaysia?
The lowest recorded value was 88.9% in 1991.
How does Malaysia rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes?
Malaysia ranks 20th out of 41 countries with data for 2018.
Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes rising or falling in Malaysia?
Over the last ten years it is up 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Malaysia 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 Malaysia. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/adult-literacy-rate-population-15-years-urban-both-sexes-percent/malaysia/

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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/