Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Early-demographic dividend

Early-demographic dividend: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 78.3% in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
78.3%
Change on year
up 0.7%
Rank
22nd
of 38 groups
All-time high
78.3%
in 2019
All-time low
44.0%
in 1975
Years of data
45
1975–2019

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Early-demographic dividend, 1975–2019

0204060801975199720191975: 44 %1976: 44.3 %1977: 44.9 %1978: 45.6 %1979: 46.3 %1980: 46.7 %1981: 47.9 %1982: 48.5 %1983: 49.3 %1984: 50.2 %1985: 51 %1986: 51.7 %1987: 52.4 %1988: 53.1 %1989: 53.7 %1990: 54.9 %1991: 55.2 %1992: 56.1 %1993: 57 %1994: 57.8 %1995: 58.7 %1996: 59.5 %1997: 60.3 %1998: 63.7 %1999: 64.4 %2000: 65.2 %2001: 65.9 %2002: 66.5 %2003: 67.5 %2004: 68.3 %2005: 68 %2006: 68.2 %2007: 69.2 %2008: 70.5 %2009: 71.5 %2010: 72.9 %2011: 72.9 %2012: 73.6 %2013: 74.1 %2014: 75 %2015: 76 %2016: 76.8 %2017: 77.2 %2018: 77.8 %2019: 78.3 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2019, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Early-demographic dividend stood at 78.3%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.

The figure is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 9.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Early-demographic dividend peaked at 78.3% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 44.0%, in 1975.

Early-demographic dividend ranks 22nd of 38 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Early-demographic dividend, year by year

Annual values for Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes (%) in Early-demographic dividend, 1975 to 2019.
Year % Change
1975 44.0%
1976 44.3% +0.6%
1977 44.9% +1.5%
1978 45.6% +1.5%
1979 46.3% +1.5%
1980 46.7% +0.9%
1981 47.9% +2.6%
1982 48.5% +1.3%
1983 49.3% +1.5%
1984 50.2% +1.9%
1985 51.0% +1.5%
1986 51.7% +1.5%
1987 52.4% +1.3%
1988 53.1% +1.4%
1989 53.7% +1.2%
1990 54.9% +2.1%
1991 55.2% +0.6%
1992 56.1% +1.6%
1993 57.0% +1.5%
1994 57.8% +1.5%
1995 58.7% +1.5%
1996 59.5% +1.4%
1997 60.3% +1.3%
1998 63.7% +5.7%
1999 64.4% +1.1%
2000 65.2% +1.3%
2001 65.9% +1.1%
2002 66.5% +0.9%
2003 67.5% +1.5%
2004 68.3% +1.2%
2005 68.0% -0.5%
2006 68.2% +0.3%
2007 69.2% +1.5%
2008 70.5% +1.9%
2009 71.5% +1.4%
2010 72.9% +1.9%
2011 72.9% +0.0%
2012 73.6% +0.9%
2013 74.1% +0.7%
2014 75.0% +1.3%
2015 76.0% +1.3%
2016 76.8% +1.0%
2017 77.2% +0.5%
2018 77.8% +0.7%
2019 78.3% +0.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 45.0% 44.0% 46.3% 5
1980s 50.5% 46.7% 53.7% 10
1990s 58.7% 54.9% 64.4% 10
2000s 68.1% 65.2% 71.5% 10
2010s 75.5% 72.9% 78.3% 10

Countries ranked near Early-demographic dividend

  1. 19 Brunei Darussalam 98.1% compare
  2. 20 Bahrain 98.1% compare
  3. 21 Macao 98.0% compare
  4. 22 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 97.8% compare
  5. 23 Türkiye 97.6% compare
  6. 24 Palestine, State of 97.5% compare
  7. 25 Seychelles 97.4% compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for Early-demographic dividend

All data for Early-demographic dividend →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Early-demographic dividend?
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Early-demographic dividend was 78.3% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Early-demographic dividend?
The highest recorded value was 78.3% in 2019.
What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Early-demographic dividend?
The lowest recorded value was 44.0% in 1975.
How does Early-demographic dividend rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
Early-demographic dividend ranks 22nd out of 38 groups with data for 2019.
Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in Early-demographic dividend?
Over the last ten years it is up 9.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Early-demographic dividend 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.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Early-demographic dividend. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-both-sexes-percent/early-demographic-dividend/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-both-sexes-percent/early-demographic-dividend/">Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Early-demographic dividend</a> — Statizoid

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.