Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female was 92.4% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
92.4%
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
43rd
of 83 countries
All-time high
92.7%
in 2016
All-time low
80.3%
in 1981
Years of data
8
1981–2018

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in Sri Lanka, 1981–2018

0204060801001981199920181981: 80.3 %2001: 89.2 %2006: 89.9 %2008: 89.7 %2010: 90.8 %2016: 92.7 %2017: 92.1 %2018: 92.4 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in Sri Lanka is 92.4%, measured in 2018.

That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 3.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in Sri Lanka peaked at 92.7% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 80.3%, in 1981.

That places Sri Lanka 43rd out of 83 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 80.3% 80.3% 80.3% 1
2000s 89.6% 89.2% 89.9% 3
2010s 92.0% 90.8% 92.7% 4

Countries ranked near Sri Lanka

  1. 40 Saudi Arabia 93.8% compare
  2. 41 Suriname 93.3% compare
  3. 42 Peru 92.6% compare
  4. 44 Oman 92.3% compare
  5. 45 Namibia 91.9% compare
  6. 46 Thailand 91.2% compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for Sri Lanka

All data for Sri Lanka →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in Sri Lanka?
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in Sri Lanka was 92.4% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female recorded in Sri Lanka?
The highest recorded value was 92.7% in 2016.
What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female recorded in Sri Lanka?
The lowest recorded value was 80.3% in 1981.
How does Sri Lanka rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female?
Sri Lanka ranks 43rd out of 83 countries with data for 2018.
Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
Over the last ten years it is up 3.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Sri Lanka 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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Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in Sri Lanka. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 21 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-female-percent/sri-lanka/

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About this data

Indicator
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
122 places, 2,216 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

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.