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

South Africa: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, female was 91.3% in 2017. ▬ Flat

Latest (2017)
91.3%
Change on year
down 5.8%
World rank
26th
of 39 countries
All-time high
97.0%
in 2015
All-time low
90.2%
in 1996
Years of data
8
1996–2017

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

0204060801001996200620171996: 90.2 %2009: 95.8 %2010: 96 %2011: 96 %2012: 96.6 %2014: 96.6 %2015: 97 %2017: 91.3 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 91.3% for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, female in 2017.

That represents a change of down 5.8% on the previous year and down 4.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, female in South Africa peaked at 97.0% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 90.2%, in 1996.

That places South Africa 26th out of 39 countries with data for 2017, putting it in the middle of the range.

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

Annual values for Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, female (%) in South Africa, 1996 to 2017.
Year % Change
1996 90.2%
2009 95.8% +6.2%
2010 96.0% +0.2%
2011 96.0% +0.0%
2012 96.6% +0.6%
2014 96.6% +0.1%
2015 97.0% +0.3%
2017 91.3% -5.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 90.2% 90.2% 90.2% 1
2000s 95.8% 95.8% 95.8% 1
2010s 95.6% 91.3% 97.0% 6

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 23 Türkiye 93.6% compare
  2. 24 Sri Lanka 93.1% compare
  3. 25 Honduras 92.2% compare
  4. 27 El Salvador 91.1% compare
  5. 28 Cambodia 87.5% compare
  6. 29 Iran, Islamic Republic of 85.8% compare

See the full ranking of 39 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, female in South Africa?
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, female in South Africa was 91.3% in 2017, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, female recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 97.0% in 2015.
What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, female recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 90.2% in 1996.
How does South Africa rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, female?
South Africa ranks 26th out of 39 countries with data for 2017.
Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, female rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 4.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
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, urban, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, 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-urban-female-percent/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, female (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
39 places, 366 data points, 1976–2019
Last refreshed

Total number of females 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/