Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income): Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 76.1% in 2019. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), 1971–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) recorded 76.1% for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in 2019. That is the highest value across all 49 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and up 6.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) peaked at 76.1% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 32.0%, in 1971.
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) ranks 24th of 39 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 49 years of available data.
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 32.0% | — |
| 1972 | 32.4% | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 32.8% | +1.2% |
| 1974 | 33.2% | +1.3% |
| 1975 | 33.7% | +1.4% |
| 1976 | 34.2% | +1.4% |
| 1977 | 34.7% | +1.5% |
| 1978 | 35.3% | +1.9% |
| 1979 | 36.0% | +1.9% |
| 1980 | 36.7% | +2.1% |
| 1981 | 37.5% | +2.1% |
| 1982 | 38.3% | +2.3% |
| 1983 | 38.8% | +1.1% |
| 1984 | 39.6% | +2.1% |
| 1985 | 40.6% | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 41.6% | +2.4% |
| 1987 | 42.7% | +2.5% |
| 1988 | 43.9% | +2.8% |
| 1989 | 45.0% | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 48.0% | +6.5% |
| 1991 | 49.2% | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 50.5% | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 52.2% | +3.4% |
| 1994 | 53.4% | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 55.3% | +3.6% |
| 1996 | 56.9% | +2.8% |
| 1997 | 58.2% | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 59.8% | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 61.2% | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 62.4% | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 63.9% | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 65.3% | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 68.7% | +5.3% |
| 2004 | 69.9% | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 69.3% | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 69.3% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 69.9% | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 70.8% | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 71.4% | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 72.2% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 72.5% | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 73.4% | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 73.6% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 74.9% | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 75.8% | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 74.2% | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 75.1% | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 75.7% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 76.1% | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 33.8% | 32.0% | 36.0% | 9 |
| 1980s | 40.5% | 36.7% | 45.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 54.5% | 48.0% | 61.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 68.1% | 62.4% | 71.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 74.3% | 72.2% | 76.1% | 10 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
More reference data data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 15,654 (2021)
- CPI Price, nominal 818.96 (2026)
- CPI Price, nominal, annual growth rate 5.73 % change on previous year (2026)
- CPI Price, nominal, seas. adj. 869.41 (2026)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 8.53 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 4.15 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 4.38 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, both sexes 6.1 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, male 6.22 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, female 5.97 years (2019)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) was 76.1% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 76.1% in 2019.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 32.0% in 1971.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) ranks 24th out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) 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.