Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income): Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female was 69.2% in 2019. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), 1972–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) is 69.2%, measured in 2019. That is the highest value across all 48 years on record.
The figure is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 11.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) peaked at 69.2% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 17.5%, in 1972.
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) ranks 24th of 39 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 48 years of available data.
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 17.5% | — |
| 1973 | 17.8% | +1.8% |
| 1974 | 18.1% | +1.9% |
| 1975 | 18.5% | +2.1% |
| 1976 | 19.1% | +3.0% |
| 1977 | 19.4% | +1.7% |
| 1978 | 20.0% | +3.0% |
| 1979 | 20.6% | +3.1% |
| 1980 | 21.3% | +3.5% |
| 1981 | 22.1% | +3.5% |
| 1982 | 23.0% | +4.1% |
| 1983 | 24.0% | +4.5% |
| 1984 | 24.9% | +3.7% |
| 1985 | 25.9% | +3.9% |
| 1986 | 27.0% | +4.3% |
| 1987 | 28.0% | +3.7% |
| 1988 | 29.2% | +4.5% |
| 1989 | 30.5% | +4.3% |
| 1990 | 33.6% | +10.3% |
| 1991 | 35.0% | +4.1% |
| 1992 | 36.4% | +4.1% |
| 1993 | 37.8% | +3.8% |
| 1994 | 39.2% | +3.8% |
| 1995 | 41.5% | +5.8% |
| 1996 | 43.4% | +4.5% |
| 1997 | 44.9% | +3.4% |
| 1998 | 46.7% | +4.2% |
| 1999 | 48.4% | +3.5% |
| 2000 | 49.9% | +3.1% |
| 2001 | 51.6% | +3.5% |
| 2002 | 53.2% | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 56.5% | +6.2% |
| 2004 | 58.0% | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 58.1% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 58.6% | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 59.5% | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 60.7% | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 62.0% | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 63.1% | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 63.5% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 64.4% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 64.2% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 66.6% | +3.7% |
| 2015 | 67.8% | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 66.7% | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 67.9% | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 68.6% | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 69.2% | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 18.9% | 17.5% | 20.6% | 8 |
| 1980s | 25.6% | 21.3% | 30.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 40.7% | 33.6% | 48.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 56.8% | 49.9% | 62.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 66.2% | 63.1% | 69.2% | 10 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
More reference data data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 15,654 (2021)
- CPI Price, nominal 818.96 (2026)
- CPI Price, nominal, annual growth rate 5.73 % change on previous year (2026)
- CPI Price, nominal, seas. adj. 869.41 (2026)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 8.53 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 4.15 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 4.38 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, both sexes 6.1 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, male 6.22 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, female 5.97 years (2019)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) was 69.2% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 69.2% in 2019.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.5% in 1972.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) ranks 24th out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of the female 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 female literates aged 25-64 years by the corresponding age group population and multiplying the result by 100.