Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Benin

Benin: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 34.9% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
34.9%
World rank
80th
of 83 countries
All-time high
34.9%
in 2018
All-time low
12.3%
in 1979
Years of data
6
1979–2018

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Benin, 1979–2018

01020301979199820181979: 12.3 %1992: 23.4 %2002: 31.8 %2006: 24.4 %2012: 27 %2018: 34.9 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2018, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Benin stood at 34.9%. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.

That represents a change of up 43.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Benin peaked at 34.9% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 12.3%, in 1979.

That places Benin 80th out of 83 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the bottom quarter.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 12.3% 12.3% 12.3% 1
1990s 23.4% 23.4% 23.4% 1
2000s 28.1% 24.4% 31.8% 2
2010s 31.0% 27.0% 34.9% 2

Countries ranked near Benin

  1. 77 Senegal 44.0% compare
  2. 78 Côte d'Ivoire 42.5% compare
  3. 79 Central African Republic 37.2% compare
  4. 81 Burkina Faso 33.0% compare
  5. 82 Mali 29.5% compare
  6. 83 Chad 18.7% compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for Benin

All data for Benin →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Benin?
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Benin was 34.9% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Benin?
The highest recorded value was 34.9% in 2018.
What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Benin?
The lowest recorded value was 12.3% in 1979.
How does Benin rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
Benin ranks 80th out of 83 countries with data for 2018.
Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in Benin?
Over the last ten years it is up 43.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Benin data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Benin. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 19 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-both-sexes-percent/benin/

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About this data

Indicator
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
122 places, 2,220 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Percentage of the population between age 25 and age 64 who can, with understanding, read and write a short, simple statement on their everyday life. Generally, ‘literacy’ also encompasses ‘numeracy’, the ability to make simple arithmetic calculations. This indicator is calculated by dividing the number of literates aged 25-64 years by the corresponding age group population and multiplying the result by 100.