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

Türkiye: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 97.6% in 2017. ▲ Rising

Latest (2017)
97.6%
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
23rd
of 83 countries
All-time high
97.6%
in 2017
All-time low
56.0%
in 1975
Years of data
17
1975–2017

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Türkiye, 1975–2017

0204060801001975199620171975: 56 %1980: 60.6 %1985: 73 %1990: 77.2 %2004: 88.5 %2005: 89.5 %2006: 89.4 %2007: 89.9 %2009: 92.4 %2010: 94.7 %2011: 95.9 %2012: 96.5 %2013: 96.8 %2014: 97 %2015: 97.2 %2016: 97.4 %2017: 97.6 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Türkiye is 97.6%, measured in 2017. That is the highest value across all 17 years on record.

The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 8.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Türkiye peaked at 97.6% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 56.0%, in 1975.

Türkiye ranks 23rd of 83 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 17 years of available data.

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Türkiye, year by year

Annual values for Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes (%) in Türkiye, 1975 to 2017.
Year % Change
1975 56.0%
1980 60.6% +8.1%
1985 73.0% +20.6%
1990 77.2% +5.7%
2004 88.5% +14.7%
2005 89.5% +1.1%
2006 89.4% -0.1%
2007 89.9% +0.6%
2009 92.4% +2.8%
2010 94.7% +2.4%
2011 95.9% +1.3%
2012 96.5% +0.6%
2013 96.8% +0.3%
2014 97.0% +0.2%
2015 97.2% +0.2%
2016 97.4% +0.2%
2017 97.6% +0.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 56.0% 56.0% 56.0% 1
1980s 66.8% 60.6% 73.0% 2
1990s 77.2% 77.2% 77.2% 1
2000s 89.9% 88.5% 92.4% 5
2010s 96.6% 94.7% 97.6% 8

Countries ranked near Türkiye

  1. 20 Bahrain 98.1% compare
  2. 21 Macau, China 98.0% compare
  3. 22 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 97.8% compare
  4. 24 Palestine, State of 97.5% compare
  5. 25 Seychelles 97.4% compare
  6. 26 Chile 97.2% compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for Türkiye

All data for Türkiye →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Türkiye?
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Türkiye was 97.6% in 2017, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Türkiye?
The highest recorded value was 97.6% in 2017.
What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Türkiye?
The lowest recorded value was 56.0% in 1975.
How does Türkiye rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
Türkiye ranks 23rd out of 83 countries with data for 2017.
Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in Türkiye?
Over the last ten years it is up 8.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Türkiye 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 Türkiye. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 27 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-both-sexes-percent/turkiye/

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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.