Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, male in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, male was 94.1% in 2018. ▬ Flat

Latest (2018)
94.1%
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
26th
of 38 countries
All-time high
96.0%
in 1981
All-time low
92.9%
in 2001
Years of data
8
1981–2018

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, male in Sri Lanka, 1981–2018

0204060801001981199920181981: 96 %2001: 92.9 %2006: 94 %2008: 94.4 %2010: 93.4 %2016: 95.5 %2017: 94.6 %2018: 94.1 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2018, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, male in Sri Lanka stood at 94.1%.

The figure is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 0.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, male in Sri Lanka peaked at 96.0% in 1981 and was at its lowest, 92.9%, in 2001.

That places Sri Lanka 26th 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 Sri Lanka, year by year

Annual values for Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, male (%) in Sri Lanka, 1981 to 2018.
Year % Change
1981 96.0%
2001 92.9% -3.2%
2006 94.0% +1.2%
2008 94.4% +0.5%
2010 93.4% -1.0%
2016 95.5% +2.2%
2017 94.6% -0.9%
2018 94.1% -0.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 96.0% 96.0% 96.0% 1
2000s 93.8% 92.9% 94.4% 3
2010s 94.4% 93.4% 95.5% 4

Countries ranked near Sri Lanka

  1. 23 Dominican Republic 95.2% compare
  2. 24 Cambodia 95.1% compare
  3. 25 Iran 94.8% compare
  4. 27 Honduras 94.1% compare
  5. 28 Guatemala 94.0% compare
  6. 29 Qatar 93.1% compare

See the full ranking of 38 places →

More reference data data for Sri Lanka

All data for Sri Lanka →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, male in Sri Lanka?
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, male in Sri Lanka was 94.1% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, male recorded in Sri Lanka?
The highest recorded value was 96.0% in 1981.
What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, male recorded in Sri Lanka?
The lowest recorded value was 92.9% in 2001.
How does Sri Lanka rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, male?
Sri Lanka ranks 26th out of 38 countries with data for 2018.
Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, male rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
Over the last ten years it is down 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Sri Lanka 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 Sri Lanka. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-urban-male-percent/sri-lanka/

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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/