Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Small states

Small states: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 87.1% in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
87.1%
Change on year
up 0.2%
Rank
16th
of 39 groups
All-time high
87.1%
in 2019
All-time low
74.9%
in 1985
Years of data
35
1985–2019

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Small states, 1985–2019

0204060801985200220191985: 74.9 %1986: 75.1 %1987: 75.5 %1988: 75.8 %1989: 76.2 %1990: 76.6 %1991: 77.1 %1992: 77.4 %1993: 77.9 %1994: 78.2 %1995: 78.6 %1996: 79.1 %1997: 79.6 %1998: 80.4 %1999: 80.8 %2000: 80.8 %2001: 81.8 %2002: 82.4 %2003: 82.9 %2004: 83.2 %2005: 83.7 %2006: 83.4 %2007: 83 %2008: 83.9 %2009: 83.5 %2010: 84.1 %2011: 84.7 %2012: 84.6 %2013: 85 %2014: 85.3 %2015: 86.6 %2016: 86.4 %2017: 86.7 %2018: 86.9 %2019: 87.1 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

Small states recorded 87.1% for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in 2019. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 4.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Small states peaked at 87.1% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 74.9%, in 1985.

That places Small states 16th 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 35 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 75.5% 74.9% 76.2% 5
1990s 78.6% 76.6% 80.8% 10
2000s 82.9% 80.8% 83.9% 10
2010s 85.7% 84.1% 87.1% 10

Countries ranked near Small states

  1. 13 Greece 98.8% compare
  2. 14 Portugal 98.6% compare
  3. 15 China 98.4% compare
  4. 16 Jordan 98.4% compare
  5. 17 Philippines 98.2% compare
  6. 18 Maldives 98.2% compare
  7. 19 Brunei Darussalam 98.1% compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for Small states

All data for Small states →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Small states?
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Small states was 87.1% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Small states?
The highest recorded value was 87.1% in 2019.
What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Small states?
The lowest recorded value was 74.9% in 1985.
How does Small states rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
Small states ranks 16th out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in Small states?
Over the last ten years it is up 4.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Small states 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 Small states. 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/small-states/

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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.