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

South Africa: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, female was 91.9% in 2017. ▲ Rising

Latest (2017)
91.9%
Change on year
down 5.8%
World rank
27th
of 38 countries
All-time high
97.5%
in 2015
All-time low
89.6%
in 1996
Years of data
8
1996–2017

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

0204060801001996200620171996: 89.6 %2009: 96.2 %2010: 96.2 %2011: 96.5 %2012: 97.1 %2014: 97.3 %2015: 97.5 %2017: 91.9 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, female in South Africa is 91.9%, measured in 2017.

That represents a change of down 5.8% on the previous year and down 4.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, female in South Africa peaked at 97.5% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 89.6%, in 1996.

South Africa ranks 27th of 38 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

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

Annual values for Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, female (%) in South Africa, 1996 to 2017.
Year % Change
1996 89.6%
2009 96.2% +7.4%
2010 96.2% -0.0%
2011 96.5% +0.2%
2012 97.1% +0.6%
2014 97.3% +0.2%
2015 97.5% +0.2%
2017 91.9% -5.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 89.6% 89.6% 89.6% 1
2000s 96.2% 96.2% 96.2% 1
2010s 96.1% 91.9% 97.5% 6

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 24 Sri Lanka 93.5% compare
  2. 25 Honduras 93.2% compare
  3. 26 El Salvador 92.7% compare
  4. 28 Iran, Islamic Republic of 87.9% compare
  5. 29 Cambodia 87.1% compare
  6. 30 Guatemala 85.5% compare

See the full ranking of 38 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, female in South Africa?
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, female in South Africa was 91.9% in 2017, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, female recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 97.5% in 2015.
What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, female recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 89.6% in 1996.
How does South Africa rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, female?
South Africa ranks 27th out of 38 countries with data for 2017.
Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, female rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 4.5%. 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, urban, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, female in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-urban-female-percent/south-africa/

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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/