Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific
East Asia & Pacific: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 97.1% in 2019. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific, 1976–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2019, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific stood at 97.1%. That is the highest value across all 44 years on record.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific peaked at 97.1% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 60.4%, in 1976.
East Asia & Pacific ranks 8th 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, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 60.4% | — |
| 1977 | 60.6% | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 61.8% | +2.0% |
| 1979 | 63.1% | +2.1% |
| 1980 | 63.9% | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 65.4% | +2.4% |
| 1982 | 68.1% | +4.2% |
| 1983 | 67.7% | -0.6% |
| 1984 | 68.9% | +1.7% |
| 1985 | 70.1% | +1.7% |
| 1986 | 71.2% | +1.6% |
| 1987 | 72.4% | +1.7% |
| 1988 | 77.2% | +6.7% |
| 1989 | 78.4% | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 79.5% | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 80.3% | +1.1% |
| 1992 | 81.3% | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 82.2% | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 83.2% | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 84.1% | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 84.9% | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 90.1% | +6.1% |
| 1998 | 90.7% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 91.3% | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 92.5% | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 92.4% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 92.9% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 93.3% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 93.8% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 94.3% | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 94.5% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 95.1% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 95.4% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 95.6% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 95.8% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 95.4% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 95.6% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 95.8% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 96.3% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 96.5% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 96.7% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 96.8% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 96.9% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 97.1% | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 61.5% | 60.4% | 63.1% | 4 |
| 1980s | 70.3% | 63.9% | 78.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 84.7% | 79.5% | 91.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 94.0% | 92.4% | 95.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 96.3% | 95.4% | 97.1% | 10 |
Countries ranked near East Asia & Pacific
More reference data data for East Asia & Pacific
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 31.45 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, both sexes 6.12 years (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 14.94 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 16.52 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, male 6.13 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, female 6.11 years (2019)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 84.3% (2019)
- School life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes 2.16 years (2019)
- Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, adjusted gender parity 1.15 GPIA (2019)
- Teachers in primary education, male 3.26 million number (2019)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific?
- Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in East Asia & Pacific was 97.1% 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?
- The highest recorded value was 97.1% in 2019.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in East Asia & Pacific?
- The lowest recorded value was 60.4% in 1976.
- How does East Asia & Pacific rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
- East Asia & Pacific ranks 8th out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in East Asia & Pacific?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this East Asia & Pacific 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.