Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in World
World: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 86.5% in 2019. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in World, 1976–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
World recorded 86.5% for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in 2019. That is the highest value across all 44 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 3.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in World peaked at 86.5% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 63.6%, in 1976.
That places World 17th out of 38 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 44 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 64.1% | 63.6% | 64.9% | 4 |
| 1980s | 68.7% | 65.4% | 72.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 76.3% | 73.2% | 80.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 82.3% | 81.1% | 83.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 85.3% | 84.1% | 86.5% | 10 |
Countries ranked near World
- 14 Portugal 98.6% compare
- 15 China, People's Republic of 98.4% compare
- 16 Jordan 98.4% compare
- 17 Philippines 98.2% compare
- 18 Maldives 98.2% compare
- 19 Brunei Darussalam 98.1% compare
- 20 Bahrain, Kingdom of 98.1% compare
More reference data data for World
- School life expectancy, primary, both sexes 5.73 years (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry age 68.68 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry age 64.37 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry age 133.05 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, male 5.79 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, female 5.67 years (2019)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general progr 89.7% (2019)
- School life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes 1.61 years (2019)
- Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, adjusted gender parity i 1.13 GPIA (2019)
- Teachers in primary education, male 10.82 million number (2019)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in World?
- Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in World was 86.5% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in World?
- The highest recorded value was 86.5% in 2019.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in World?
- The lowest recorded value was 63.6% in 1976.
- How does World rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
- World ranks 17th out of 38 groups with data for 2019.
- Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this World 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.