Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male in Zambia

Zambia: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male was 89.8% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
89.8%
World rank
51st
of 83 countries
All-time high
89.8%
in 2018
All-time low
72.4%
in 2007
Years of data
6
1990–2018

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male in Zambia, 1990–2018

0204060801990200420181990: 79.9 %1999: 80.5 %2002: 84 %2007: 72.4 %2010: 88.4 %2018: 89.8 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male in Zambia is 89.8%, measured in 2018. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.

That represents a change of up 24.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male in Zambia peaked at 89.8% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 72.4%, in 2007.

That places Zambia 51st out of 83 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 80.2% 79.9% 80.5% 2
2000s 78.2% 72.4% 84.0% 2
2010s 89.1% 88.4% 89.8% 2

Countries ranked near Zambia

  1. 48 Iran 92.3% compare
  2. 49 El Salvador 91.8% compare
  3. 50 Namibia 91.5% compare
  4. 52 Algeria 89.4% compare
  5. 53 Lao People's Democratic Republic 89.2% compare
  6. 54 Tunisia 88.3% compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for Zambia

All data for Zambia →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male in Zambia?
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male in Zambia was 89.8% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male recorded in Zambia?
The highest recorded value was 89.8% in 2018.
What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male recorded in Zambia?
The lowest recorded value was 72.4% in 2007.
How does Zambia rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male?
Zambia ranks 51st out of 83 countries with data for 2018.
Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male rising or falling in Zambia?
Over the last ten years it is up 24.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Zambia data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male in Zambia. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 22 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-male-percent/zambia/

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About this data

Indicator
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
122 places, 2,219 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Percentage of the male 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 male literates aged 25-64 years by the corresponding age group population and multiplying the result by 100.