Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean
Latin America & Caribbean: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 94.9% in 2019. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean, 1974–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean is 94.9%, measured in 2019. That is the highest value across all 46 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean peaked at 94.9% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 76.0%, in 1975.
That places Latin America & Caribbean 11th out of 39 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 46 years of available data.
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 76.1% | — |
| 1975 | 76.0% | -0.0% |
| 1976 | 76.5% | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 77.0% | +0.7% |
| 1978 | 77.5% | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 78.1% | +0.7% |
| 1980 | 78.6% | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 79.2% | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 79.6% | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 80.1% | +0.6% |
| 1984 | 80.6% | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 81.0% | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 81.5% | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 81.9% | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 82.4% | +0.7% |
| 1989 | 83.0% | +0.7% |
| 1990 | 83.5% | +0.6% |
| 1991 | 84.1% | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 84.7% | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 85.4% | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 86.1% | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 86.7% | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 87.1% | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 87.5% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 88.0% | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 88.4% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 88.8% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 88.9% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 89.1% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 89.9% | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 90.1% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 90.5% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 90.6% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 91.4% | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 91.7% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 92.1% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 92.0% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 92.8% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 93.0% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 93.1% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 93.6% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 93.8% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 94.3% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 94.4% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 94.6% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 94.9% | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 76.9% | 76.0% | 78.1% | 6 |
| 1980s | 80.8% | 78.6% | 83.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 86.2% | 83.5% | 88.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 90.3% | 88.8% | 92.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 93.7% | 92.0% | 94.9% | 10 |
Countries ranked near Latin America & Caribbean
More reference data data for Latin America & Caribbean
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 10.44 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, both sexes 6.16 years (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 5.33 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 5.11 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, male 6.21 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, female 6.12 years (2019)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 87.4% (2019)
- School life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes 2.09 years (2019)
- Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, adjusted gender parity 1.23 GPIA (2019)
- Teachers in primary education, male 685,896 number (2019)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean?
- Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Latin America & Caribbean was 94.9% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Latin America & Caribbean?
- The highest recorded value was 94.9% in 2019.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Latin America & Caribbean?
- The lowest recorded value was 76.0% in 1975.
- How does Latin America & Caribbean rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
- Latin America & Caribbean ranks 11th out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in Latin America & Caribbean?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Latin America & Caribbean 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.