Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes was 804,858 number in 2018. ▬ Flat

Latest (2018)
804,858 number
Change on year
down 1.3%
World rank
39th
of 83 countries
All-time high
941,877 number
in 2008
All-time low
744,841 number
in 2016
Years of data
8
1981–2018

Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Sri Lanka, 1981–2018

0200.0k400.0k600.0k800.0k1.0M1981199920181981: 818.3k number2001: 864.4k number2006: 873.3k number2008: 941.9k number2010: 891.4k number2016: 744.8k number2017: 815.5k number2018: 804.9k number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

In 2018, illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Sri Lanka stood at 804,858 number.

The figure is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 14.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Sri Lanka peaked at 941,877 number in 2008 and was at its lowest, 744,841 number, in 2016.

That places Sri Lanka 39th out of 83 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 818,283 number 818,283 number 818,283 number 1
2000s 893,199 number 864,376 number 941,877 number 3
2010s 814,132 number 744,841 number 891,372 number 4

Countries ranked near Sri Lanka

  1. 36 Türkiye 992,371 number compare
  2. 37 Central African Republic 915,299 number compare
  3. 38 Zambia 836,095 number compare
  4. 40 Peru 802,248 number compare
  5. 41 Philippines 800,856 number compare
  6. 42 Saudi Arabia 723,974 number compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for Sri Lanka

All data for Sri Lanka →

Frequently asked questions

What is illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Sri Lanka?
Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Sri Lanka was 804,858 number in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Sri Lanka?
The highest recorded value was 941,877 number in 2008.
What is the lowest illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Sri Lanka?
The lowest recorded value was 744,841 number in 2016.
How does Sri Lanka rank for illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes?
Sri Lanka ranks 39th out of 83 countries with data for 2018.
Is illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
Over the last ten years it is down 14.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes in Sri Lanka. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 17 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/illiterate-population-25-64-years-both-sexes-number/sri-lanka/

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About this data

Indicator
Illiterate population, 25-64 years, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
122 places, 2,239 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Total number of adults from age 25 to age 64 who cannot both read and write with understanding a short simple statement on their everyday life.