Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, female in Bangladesh

Bangladesh: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, female was 59.8% in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
59.8%
Change on year
up 2.0%
World rank
27th
of 35 countries
All-time high
59.8%
in 2019
All-time low
11.9%
in 1981
Years of data
12
1981–2019

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, female in Bangladesh, 1981–2019

1020304050601981200020191981: 11.9 %1991: 17.3 %2001: 28.9 %2011: 39.2 %2012: 37.8 %2013: 43.9 %2014: 45 %2015: 45.7 %2016: 55.5 %2017: 56.6 %2018: 58.6 %2019: 59.8 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2019, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, female in Bangladesh stood at 59.8%. That is the highest value across all 12 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 52.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, female in Bangladesh peaked at 59.8% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 11.9%, in 1981.

Bangladesh ranks 27th of 35 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, female in Bangladesh, year by year

Annual values for Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, female (%) in Bangladesh, 1981 to 2019.
Year % Change
1981 11.9%
1991 17.3% +45.2%
2001 28.9% +66.9%
2011 39.2% +35.8%
2012 37.8% -3.6%
2013 43.9% +16.1%
2014 45.0% +2.5%
2015 45.7% +1.7%
2016 55.5% +21.3%
2017 56.6% +2.0%
2018 58.6% +3.6%
2019 59.8% +2.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 11.9% 11.9% 11.9% 1
1990s 17.3% 17.3% 17.3% 1
2000s 28.9% 28.9% 28.9% 1
2010s 49.1% 37.8% 59.8% 9

Countries ranked near Bangladesh

  1. 24 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 76.3% compare
  2. 25 Iran, Islamic Republic of 67.0% compare
  3. 26 Cambodia 66.6% compare
  4. 28 Guatemala 55.8% compare
  5. 29 Egypt 49.0% compare
  6. 30 Uganda 45.1% compare

See the full ranking of 35 places →

More reference data data for Bangladesh

All data for Bangladesh →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, female in Bangladesh?
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, female in Bangladesh was 59.8% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, female recorded in Bangladesh?
The highest recorded value was 59.8% in 2019.
What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, female recorded in Bangladesh?
The lowest recorded value was 11.9% in 1981.
How does Bangladesh rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, female?
Bangladesh ranks 27th out of 35 countries with data for 2019.
Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, female rising or falling in Bangladesh?
Over the last ten years it is up 52.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Bangladesh data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, female in Bangladesh. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-rural-female-percent/bangladesh/

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About this data

Indicator
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, female (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
35 places, 326 data points, 1976–2019
Last refreshed

Percentage of the female population in rural areas 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. For more information, consult the UNESCO Institute of Statistics website: http://www.uis.unesco.org/Education/