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

Peru: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 95.0% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
95.0%
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
38th
of 83 countries
All-time high
95.0%
in 2018
All-time low
77.4%
in 1981
Years of data
12
1981–2018

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Peru, 1981–2018

0204060801001981199920181981: 77.4 %1993: 85.8 %2004: 87.7 %2005: 88.2 %2006: 88.8 %2007: 90.5 %2012: 94.3 %2014: 94.2 %2015: 94.7 %2016: 94.7 %2017: 94.7 %2018: 95 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Peru is 95.0%, measured in 2018. That is the highest value across all 12 years on record.

That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 5.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Peru peaked at 95.0% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 77.4%, in 1981.

That places Peru 38th out of 83 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.

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

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 77.4% 77.4% 77.4% 1
1990s 85.8% 85.8% 85.8% 1
2000s 88.8% 87.7% 90.5% 4
2010s 94.6% 94.2% 95.0% 6

Countries ranked near Peru

  1. 35 Colombia 95.8% compare
  2. 36 Paraguay 95.3% compare
  3. 37 Vietnam 95.3% compare
  4. 39 Suriname 94.8% compare
  5. 40 Brazil 94.4% compare
  6. 41 Ecuador 94.3% compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for Peru

All data for Peru →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Peru?
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Peru was 95.0% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Peru?
The highest recorded value was 95.0% in 2018.
What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Peru?
The lowest recorded value was 77.4% in 1981.
How does Peru rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
Peru ranks 38th out of 83 countries with data for 2018.
Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in Peru?
Over the last ten years it is up 5.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Peru 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 Peru. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 18 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-both-sexes-percent/peru/

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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.