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

Pakistan: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes was 75.7% in 2017. ▲ Rising

Latest (2017)
75.7%
Change on year
up 1.2%
World rank
38th
of 41 countries
All-time high
75.7%
in 2017
All-time low
47.4%
in 1981
Years of data
13
1981–2017

Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Pakistan, 1981–2017

0204060801981199920171981: 47.4 %1998: 62.9 %2005: 69.1 %2006: 71.8 %2007: 70.1 %2008: 71.1 %2009: 72.3 %2010: 72.4 %2011: 72.5 %2012: 73.2 %2013: 72.8 %2014: 74.8 %2017: 75.7 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Pakistan is 75.7%, measured in 2017. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 7.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Pakistan peaked at 75.7% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 47.4%, in 1981.

Pakistan ranks 38th of 41 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.

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

Annual values for Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes (%) in Pakistan, 1981 to 2017.
Year % Change
1981 47.4%
1998 62.9% +32.5%
2005 69.1% +10.0%
2006 71.8% +3.8%
2007 70.1% -2.3%
2008 71.1% +1.4%
2009 72.3% +1.7%
2010 72.4% +0.1%
2011 72.5% +0.2%
2012 73.2% +0.9%
2013 72.8% -0.6%
2014 74.8% +2.8%
2017 75.7% +1.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 47.4% 47.4% 47.4% 1
1990s 62.9% 62.9% 62.9% 1
2000s 70.9% 69.1% 72.3% 5
2010s 73.6% 72.4% 75.7% 6

Countries ranked near Pakistan

  1. 35 Mozambique 81.1% compare
  2. 36 Egypt 80.3% compare
  3. 37 Morocco 78.8% compare
  4. 39 Burkina Faso 64.2% compare
  5. 40 Senegal 60.9% compare
  6. 41 Mali 60.6% compare

See the full ranking of 41 places →

More reference data data for Pakistan

All data for Pakistan →

Frequently asked questions

What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Pakistan?
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Pakistan was 75.7% in 2017, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes recorded in Pakistan?
The highest recorded value was 75.7% in 2017.
What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes recorded in Pakistan?
The lowest recorded value was 47.4% in 1981.
How does Pakistan rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes?
Pakistan ranks 38th out of 41 countries with data for 2017.
Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes rising or falling in Pakistan?
Over the last ten years it is up 7.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Pakistan 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 Pakistan. 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/pakistan/

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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/