Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)
East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries): Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 97.3% in 2019. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries), 1976–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2019, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) stood at 97.3%. That is the highest value across all 44 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and up 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 97.3% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 56.9%, in 1976.
East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 7th of 39 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 44 years of available data.
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 56.9% | — |
| 1977 | 57.1% | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 58.5% | +2.5% |
| 1979 | 59.9% | +2.5% |
| 1980 | 60.8% | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 62.5% | +2.8% |
| 1982 | 65.6% | +5.0% |
| 1983 | 65.1% | -0.8% |
| 1984 | 66.4% | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 67.7% | +2.0% |
| 1986 | 69.0% | +1.8% |
| 1987 | 70.3% | +1.9% |
| 1988 | 75.8% | +7.8% |
| 1989 | 77.1% | +1.7% |
| 1990 | 78.3% | +1.6% |
| 1991 | 79.3% | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 80.4% | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 81.3% | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 82.4% | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 83.4% | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 84.3% | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 90.1% | +6.9% |
| 1998 | 90.8% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 91.4% | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 92.8% | +1.5% |
| 2001 | 92.6% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 93.1% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 93.6% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 94.1% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 94.6% | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 94.8% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 95.4% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 95.7% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 95.9% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 96.1% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 95.8% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 96.0% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 96.1% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 96.5% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 96.8% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 96.9% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 97.1% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 97.1% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 97.3% | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 58.1% | 56.9% | 59.9% | 4 |
| 1980s | 68.0% | 60.8% | 77.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 84.2% | 78.3% | 91.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 94.3% | 92.6% | 95.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 96.6% | 95.8% | 97.3% | 10 |
Countries ranked near East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)
More reference data data for East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 29.08 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, both sexes 6.13 years (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 15.30 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 13.79 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, female 6.12 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, male 6.14 years (2019)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 83.9% (2019)
- School life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes 2.17 years (2019)
- Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, adjusted gender parity 1.18 GPIA (2019)
- Teachers in primary education, male 3.00 million number (2019)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) was 97.3% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 97.3% in 2019.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 56.9% in 1976.
- How does East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
- East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 7th out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) 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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About this data
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.