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

Eswatini: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 87.9% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
87.9%
World rank
50th
of 83 countries
All-time high
87.9%
in 2018
All-time low
48.0%
in 1976
Years of data
5
1976–2018

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Eswatini, 1976–2018

0204060801976199720181976: 48 %1986: 61.5 %2000: 79.1 %2010: 81.8 %2018: 87.9 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2018, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Eswatini stood at 87.9%. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.

That represents a change of up 7.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Eswatini peaked at 87.9% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 48.0%, in 1976.

Eswatini ranks 50th of 83 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 48.0% 48.0% 48.0% 1
1980s 61.5% 61.5% 61.5% 1
2000s 79.1% 79.1% 79.1% 1
2010s 84.9% 81.8% 87.9% 2

Countries ranked near Eswatini

  1. 47 Sri Lanka 92.5% compare
  2. 48 Namibia 91.7% compare
  3. 49 El Salvador 89.8% compare
  4. 51 South Africa 87.7% compare
  5. 52 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 87.4% compare
  6. 53 Honduras 87.1% compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for Eswatini

All data for Eswatini →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Eswatini?
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Eswatini was 87.9% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Eswatini?
The highest recorded value was 87.9% in 2018.
What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Eswatini?
The lowest recorded value was 48.0% in 1976.
How does Eswatini rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
Eswatini ranks 50th out of 83 countries with data for 2018.
Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in Eswatini?
Over the last ten years it is up 7.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Eswatini 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 Eswatini. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 21 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-both-sexes-percent/eswatini/

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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.