Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, female in Pakistan

Pakistan: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, female was 59.0% in 2017. ▲ Rising

Latest (2017)
59.0%
Change on year
up 3.3%
World rank
35th
of 38 countries
All-time high
59.0%
in 2017
All-time low
27.6%
in 1981
Years of data
13
1981–2017

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, female in Pakistan, 1981–2017

02040601981199920171981: 27.6 %1998: 44.7 %2005: 50.5 %2006: 52.9 %2007: 53.1 %2008: 50.7 %2009: 53.4 %2010: 53.4 %2011: 55.5 %2012: 54.9 %2013: 53.7 %2014: 57 %2017: 59 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2017, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, female in Pakistan stood at 59.0%. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.

The figure is up 3.3% on the previous year and up 11.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, female in Pakistan peaked at 59.0% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 27.6%, in 1981.

That places Pakistan 35th out of 38 countries with data for 2017, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, female in Pakistan, year by year

Annual values for Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, female (%) in Pakistan, 1981 to 2017.
Year % Change
1981 27.6%
1998 44.7% +61.6%
2005 50.5% +13.2%
2006 52.9% +4.6%
2007 53.1% +0.4%
2008 50.7% -4.4%
2009 53.4% +5.2%
2010 53.4% +0.0%
2011 55.5% +3.9%
2012 54.9% -1.0%
2013 53.7% -2.3%
2014 57.0% +6.3%
2017 59.0% +3.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 27.6% 27.6% 27.6% 1
1990s 44.7% 44.7% 44.7% 1
2000s 52.1% 50.5% 53.4% 5
2010s 55.6% 53.4% 59.0% 6

Countries ranked near Pakistan

  1. 32 Uganda 75.6% compare
  2. 33 Egypt 74.5% compare
  3. 34 Morocco 69.1% compare
  4. 36 Burkina Faso 48.3% compare
  5. 37 Mali 42.0% compare
  6. 38 Senegal 37.8% compare

See the full ranking of 38 places →

More reference data data for Pakistan

All data for Pakistan →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, female in Pakistan?
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, female in Pakistan was 59.0% in 2017, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, female recorded in Pakistan?
The highest recorded value was 59.0% in 2017.
What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, female recorded in Pakistan?
The lowest recorded value was 27.6% in 1981.
How does Pakistan rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, female?
Pakistan ranks 35th out of 38 countries with data for 2017.
Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, female rising or falling in Pakistan?
Over the last ten years it is up 11.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Pakistan data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, female in Pakistan. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 28 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-urban-female-percent/pakistan/

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About this data

Indicator
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, female (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
38 places, 361 data points, 1976–2019
Last refreshed

Percentage of the female population in urban 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/