Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, female in South Africa

South Africa: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, female was 77.6% in 2017. ▲ Rising

Latest (2017)
77.6%
Change on year
down 12.2%
World rank
21st
of 35 countries
All-time high
88.4%
in 2015
All-time low
62.8%
in 1996
Years of data
8
1996–2017

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, female in South Africa, 1996–2017

0204060801996200620171996: 62.8 %2009: 84.5 %2010: 84.5 %2011: 85.4 %2012: 86.1 %2014: 87.8 %2015: 88.4 %2017: 77.6 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 77.6% for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, female in 2017.

That represents a change of down 12.2% on the previous year and down 8.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, female in South Africa peaked at 88.4% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 62.8%, in 1996.

South Africa ranks 21st of 35 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

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

Annual values for Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, female (%) in South Africa, 1996 to 2017.
Year % Change
1996 62.8%
2009 84.5% +34.5%
2010 84.5% +0.1%
2011 85.4% +1.0%
2012 86.1% +0.9%
2014 87.8% +2.0%
2015 88.4% +0.7%
2017 77.6% -12.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 62.8% 62.8% 62.8% 1
2000s 84.5% 84.5% 84.5% 1
2010s 85.0% 77.6% 88.4% 6

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 18 Thailand 88.7% compare
  2. 19 Brazil 85.9% compare
  3. 20 Honduras 79.0% compare
  4. 22 El Salvador 77.6% compare
  5. 23 Peru 77.0% compare
  6. 24 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 76.3% compare

See the full ranking of 35 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, female in South Africa?
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, female in South Africa was 77.6% in 2017, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, female recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 88.4% in 2015.
What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, female recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 62.8% in 1996.
How does South Africa rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, female?
South Africa ranks 21st out of 35 countries with data for 2017.
Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, female rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 8.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa 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 South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-rural-female-percent/south-africa/

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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/