Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Sao Tome and Principe

Sao Tome and Principe: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 93.0% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
93.0%
World rank
45th
of 83 countries
All-time high
93.0%
in 2018
All-time low
46.6%
in 1981
Years of data
6
1981–2018

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Sao Tome and Principe, 1981–2018

0204060801001981199920181981: 46.6 %1991: 66.2 %2001: 82.8 %2008: 67.4 %2012: 90.8 %2018: 93 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2018, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Sao Tome and Principe stood at 93.0%. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.

That represents a change of up 38.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 93.0% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 46.6%, in 1981.

Sao Tome and Principe ranks 45th of 83 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year

Annual values for Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes (%) in Sao Tome and Principe, 1981 to 2018.
Year % Change
1981 46.6%
1991 66.2% +42.1%
2001 82.8% +25.1%
2008 67.4% -18.6%
2012 90.8% +34.8%
2018 93.0% +2.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 46.6% 46.6% 46.6% 1
1990s 66.2% 66.2% 66.2% 1
2000s 75.1% 67.4% 82.8% 2
2010s 91.9% 90.8% 93.0% 2

Countries ranked near Sao Tome and Principe

  1. 42 Dominican Republic 94.2% compare
  2. 43 Qatar 93.5% compare
  3. 44 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 93.4% compare
  4. 46 Thailand 92.9% compare
  5. 47 Sri Lanka 92.5% compare
  6. 48 Namibia 91.7% compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for Sao Tome and Principe

All data for Sao Tome and Principe →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Sao Tome and Principe?
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Sao Tome and Principe was 93.0% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
The highest recorded value was 93.0% in 2018.
What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
The lowest recorded value was 46.6% in 1981.
How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
Sao Tome and Principe ranks 45th out of 83 countries with data for 2018.
Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
Over the last ten years it is up 38.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Sao Tome and Principe 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 Sao Tome and Principe. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 06 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-both-sexes-percent/sao-tome-and-principe/

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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.