Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, male in Malaysia

Malaysia: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, male was 97.8% in 2018. ▬ Flat

Latest (2018)
97.8%
Change on year
down 0.4%
World rank
15th
of 38 countries
All-time high
98.2%
in 2017
All-time low
93.6%
in 1991
Years of data
6
1991–2018

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, male in Malaysia, 1991–2018

0204060801001991200420181991: 93.6 %2000: 95.5 %2010: 97.4 %2016: 98 %2017: 98.2 %2018: 97.8 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

Malaysia recorded 97.8% for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, male in 2018.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and up 0.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, male in Malaysia peaked at 98.2% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 93.6%, in 1991.

That places Malaysia 15th out of 38 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, male in Malaysia, year by year

Annual values for Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, male (%) in Malaysia, 1991 to 2018.
Year % Change
1991 93.6%
2000 95.5% +2.0%
2010 97.4% +2.0%
2016 98.0% +0.6%
2017 98.2% +0.1%
2018 97.8% -0.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 93.6% 93.6% 93.6% 1
2000s 95.5% 95.5% 95.5% 1
2010s 97.9% 97.4% 98.2% 4

Countries ranked near Malaysia

  1. 12 Uruguay 98.6% compare
  2. 13 Peru 98.5% compare
  3. 14 Mexico 98.4% compare
  4. 16 Ecuador 97.8% compare
  5. 17 Chile 97.6% compare
  6. 18 Colombia 97.4% compare

See the full ranking of 38 places →

More reference data data for Malaysia

All data for Malaysia →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, male in Malaysia?
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, male in Malaysia was 97.8% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, male recorded in Malaysia?
The highest recorded value was 98.2% in 2017.
What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, male recorded in Malaysia?
The lowest recorded value was 93.6% in 1991.
How does Malaysia rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, male?
Malaysia ranks 15th out of 38 countries with data for 2018.
Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, male rising or falling in Malaysia?
Over the last ten years it is up 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Malaysia data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, male in Malaysia. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 27 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-urban-male-percent/malaysia/

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About this data

Indicator
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, male (%)
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 male 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 male 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/