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

Spain: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 99.3% in 2018. ▬ Flat

Latest (2018)
99.3%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
8th
of 83 countries
All-time high
99.3%
in 2018
All-time low
94.2%
in 1981
Years of data
16
1981–2018

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

0204060801001981199920181981: 94.2 %1991: 97.5 %2004: 98.6 %2005: 98.5 %2006: 99 %2007: 99 %2008: 98.9 %2009: 98.9 %2010: 98.9 %2011: 98.9 %2012: 99 %2013: 99.1 %2014: 99.1 %2015: 99.2 %2016: 99.2 %2018: 99.3 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2018, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Spain stood at 99.3%. That is the highest value across all 16 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 0.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Spain peaked at 99.3% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 94.2%, in 1981.

That places Spain 8th out of 83 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top 10%.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 94.2% 94.2% 94.2% 1
1990s 97.5% 97.5% 97.5% 1
2000s 98.8% 98.5% 99.0% 6
2010s 99.1% 98.9% 99.3% 8

Countries ranked near Spain

  1. 5 Moldova 99.7% compare
  2. 6 Tonga 99.4% compare
  3. 7 Montenegro 99.3% compare
  4. 9 Argentina 99.2% compare
  5. 10 Singapore 99.1% compare
  6. 11 Albania 99.0% compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for Spain

All data for Spain →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Spain?
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Spain was 99.3% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Spain?
The highest recorded value was 99.3% in 2018.
What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Spain?
The lowest recorded value was 94.2% in 1981.
How does Spain rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
Spain ranks 8th out of 83 countries with data for 2018.
Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in Spain?
Over the last ten years it is up 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Spain 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 Spain. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 17 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-both-sexes-percent/spain/

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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.