Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Upper middle income
Upper middle income: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 96.9% in 2019. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Upper middle income, 1976–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Upper middle income is 96.9%, measured in 2019. That is the highest value across all 44 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and up 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Upper middle income peaked at 96.9% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 64.5%, in 1976.
That places Upper middle income 9th out of 38 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 44 years of available data.
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Upper middle income, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 64.5% | — |
| 1977 | 64.6% | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 65.6% | +1.5% |
| 1979 | 66.6% | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 67.3% | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 68.6% | +1.8% |
| 1982 | 70.8% | +3.3% |
| 1983 | 70.6% | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 71.7% | +1.6% |
| 1985 | 72.7% | +1.4% |
| 1986 | 73.7% | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 74.6% | +1.1% |
| 1988 | 78.6% | +5.4% |
| 1989 | 79.5% | +1.1% |
| 1990 | 80.6% | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 81.4% | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 82.2% | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 83.1% | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 83.9% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 84.8% | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 85.5% | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 90.0% | +5.2% |
| 1998 | 90.5% | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 91.1% | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 92.2% | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 92.2% | -0.0% |
| 2002 | 92.6% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 93.2% | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 93.6% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 94.0% | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 94.2% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 94.8% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 95.1% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 95.3% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 95.6% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 95.7% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 95.8% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 95.9% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 96.3% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 96.5% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 96.6% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 96.7% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 96.7% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 96.9% | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 65.4% | 64.5% | 66.6% | 4 |
| 1980s | 72.8% | 67.3% | 79.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 85.3% | 80.6% | 91.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 93.7% | 92.2% | 95.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 96.3% | 95.6% | 96.9% | 10 |
Countries ranked near Upper middle income
More reference data data for Upper middle income
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 2,056 (2026)
- CPI Price, nominal 298.62 (2026)
- CPI Price, nominal, seas. adj. 293.42 (2026)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 19.74 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, both sexes 5.97 years (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 21.50 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 41.24 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, male 6 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, female 5.94 years (2019)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 84.4% (2019)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Upper middle income?
- Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Upper middle income was 96.9% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Upper middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 96.9% in 2019.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Upper middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 64.5% in 1976.
- How does Upper middle income rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
- Upper middle income ranks 9th out of 38 groups with data for 2019.
- Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in Upper middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Upper middle income 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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About this data
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.