Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in El Salvador

El Salvador: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 89.8% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
89.8%
Change on year
up 1.2%
World rank
49th
of 83 countries
All-time high
89.8%
in 2018
All-time low
71.9%
in 1992
Years of data
12
1992–2018

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in El Salvador, 1992–2018

0204060801992200520181992: 71.9 %2006: 83.3 %2007: 81.6 %2008: 83.7 %2009: 83.9 %2010: 83.9 %2011: 85.1 %2013: 86.4 %2015: 87.8 %2016: 88 %2017: 88.7 %2018: 89.8 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

El Salvador recorded 89.8% for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in 2018. That is the highest value across all 12 years on record.

The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 7.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in El Salvador peaked at 89.8% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 71.9%, in 1992.

El Salvador ranks 49th of 83 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in El Salvador, year by year

Annual values for Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes (%) in El Salvador, 1992 to 2018.
Year % Change
1992 71.9%
2006 83.3% +15.8%
2007 81.6% -2.0%
2008 83.7% +2.5%
2009 83.9% +0.3%
2010 83.9% -0.1%
2011 85.1% +1.5%
2013 86.4% +1.5%
2015 87.8% +1.7%
2016 88.0% +0.2%
2017 88.7% +0.8%
2018 89.8% +1.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 71.9% 71.9% 71.9% 1
2000s 83.1% 81.6% 83.9% 4
2010s 87.1% 83.9% 89.8% 7

Countries ranked near El Salvador

  1. 46 Thailand 92.9% compare
  2. 47 Sri Lanka 92.5% compare
  3. 48 Namibia 91.7% compare
  4. 50 Eswatini 87.9% compare
  5. 51 South Africa 87.7% compare
  6. 52 Iran, Islamic Republic of 87.4% compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for El Salvador

All data for El Salvador →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in El Salvador?
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in El Salvador was 89.8% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in El Salvador?
The highest recorded value was 89.8% in 2018.
What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in El Salvador?
The lowest recorded value was 71.9% in 1992.
How does El Salvador rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
El Salvador ranks 49th out of 83 countries with data for 2018.
Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in El Salvador?
Over the last ten years it is up 7.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this El Salvador 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 El Salvador. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-both-sexes-percent/el-salvador/

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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.