List of countries by literacy rate

This is a list of countries by literacy rate.

The global literacy rate for all people aged 15 and above is 87.74% (2026).Literacy Rate by Country 2026. The global literacy rate for all males is 90.0%, and the rate for all females is 82.7%. The rate varies throughout the world, with developed nations having a rate of 99.2% (2013), South and West Asia having 70.2% (2015), and sub-Saharan Africa at 64.0% (2015). Over 75% of the world's 781 million illiterate adults are found in South Asia, West Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa, and women represent almost two-thirds of all illiterate adults globally.

List of UN member states by age group and gender disparity

Data published by UNESCO using the following definitions:

"*" indicates "Literacy in country or territory" or "Education in country or territory" links. Country Youth(15 to 24) Adult(25 to 64) Elderly(65+) Youth GenderParity Index Rate Year Rate Year Rate Year Rate Year 65.0 2020 31.7 2011 20.3 2011 0.5 2011 99.2 2012 97.2 2012 86.9 2012 1.0 2012 93.8 2008 75.1 2008 19.5 2008 1.0 2008 97.7 1980 97.3 1980 92.7 1980 1.0 1980 77.4 2014 66.0 2014 27.0 2014 0.8 2014 99.1 1984 95.4 1984 88.0 1984 1.0 1984 98.9 2015 99.5 2016 99.1 2016 97.9 2016 1.0 2016 99.8 2011 99.7 2011 98.9 2011 1.0 2011 99.1 2010 96.8 2010 88.9 2010 1.0 2010 96.6 99.9 2016 99.8 2016 98.4 2016 1.0 2016 97.0 2001 86.5 2001 42.3 2001 1.0 2001 94.9 2019 74.7 2019 39.4 2019 1.03 2019 99.9 2014 99.6 2014 98.5 2014 1.0 2014 99.8 2009 99.6 2009 98.6 2009 1.0 2009 77.6 1991 70.3 1991 44.8 1991 1.0 1991 52.5 2012 32.9 2012 7.0 2012 0.6 2012 87.3 2012 57.0 2012 14.9 2012 0.9 2012 99.4 2015 92.5 2015 67.5 2015 1.0 2015 99.7 2013 97.0 2013 86.0 2013 1.0 2013 97.7 2014 87.7 2014 40.7 2014 1.0 2014 99.7 2020 92.0 2015 74.3 2015 1.0 2015 99.4 2011 96.1 2011 61.6 2011 1.0 2011 97.9 2011 98.4 2011 97.5 2011 1.0 2011 50.1 2014 34.6 2014 8.4 2014 0.8 2014 79.6 2014 61.6 2014 24.9 2014 0.9 2014 98.1 2015 86.8 2015 36.8 2015 1.0 2015 92.2 2015 80.5 2015 53.1 2015 1.0 2015 80.6 2010 71.3 2010 26.1 2010 0.9 2010 98.9 2007 98.9 2007 94.7 2007 1.0 2007 36.4 2010 36.8 2010 35.7 2010 0.6 2010 30.8 2016 22.3 2016 7.0 2016 0.6 2016 99.4 2015 96.9 2015 89.9 2015 1.0 2015 99.8 2018 96.8 2018 73.9 2010 1.0 2018 99.8 2016 96.5 2016 81.2 2016 1.0 2016 98.7 2016 94.7 2016 81.4 2016 1.0 2016 71.6 2012 49.2 2012 12.8 2012 0.9 2012 80.9 2011 79.3 2011 73.1 2011 0.9 2011 85.0 2016 77.0 2016 48.0 2016 0.9 2016 99.1 2011 97.4 2011 90.4 2011 1.0 2011 53.0 2014 43.9 2014 18.0 2014 0.8 2014 99.7 2011 99.1 2011 97.1 2011 1.0 2011 99.9 2012 99.8 2012 99.2 2012 1.0 2012 99.8 2011 98.7 2011 93.8 2011 1.0 2011 98.8 2016 93.8 2016 79.8 2016 1.0 2016 99.1 2016 94.4 2016 77.7 2016 1.0 2016 93.9 2017 71.2 2017 43.2 2013 1.0 2017 98.0 2016 88.5 2017 65.7 2016 1.0 2016 98.2 2014 95.0 2014 67.2 2014 1.0 2014 87.0 2008 64.7 2008 20.9 2008 0.9 2008 99.9 2011 99.9 2011 99.7 2011 1.0 2011 93.5 2010 83.1 2010 45.2 2010 1.0 2010 55.0 2007 39.0 2007 13.6 2007 0.7 2007 91.3 1982 82.9 1982 69.7 1982 88.5 2012 82.3 2012 60.6 2012 1.0 2012 60.8 2013 42.0 2013 10.4 2013 0.9 2013 99.7 2014 99.6 2014 99.1 2014 1.0 2014 85.7 2010 71.5 2010 34.9 2010 0.9 2010 98.8 2011 97.4 2011 92.5 2011 1.0 2011 100.0 2015 1.0 2015 99.2 2014 98.6 2014 96.2 2014 1.0 2014 99.8 2014 96.0 2014 82.9 2014 1.0 2014 99.9 1990 99.4 1990 95.9 1990 1.0 1990 94.4 2014 81.3 2014 50.7 2014 1.0 2014 46.3 2014 32.0 2014 13.1 2014 0.7 2014 60.4 2014 45.6 2014 19.5 2014 0.7 2014 96.7 2014 85.6 2014 49.9 2014 1.0 2014 72.3 2006 48.7 2006 8.5 2006 0.9 2006 96.1 2016 89.0 2016 66.3 2016 1.0 2016 98.8 2014 99.1 2014 99.1 2014 1.0 2014 95.7 2018 75.4 2018 45.4 2018 0.97 2018 99.7 2016 95.4 2016 70.1 2016 1.0 2016 98.1 2016 85.5 2016 36.8 2016 1.0 2016 93.5 2017 85.6 2017 20.4 2013 0.9 2013 98.6 1983 91.8 1983 79.8 1983 1.0 1983 99.9 2011 98.8 2011 96.7 2011 1.0 2011 96.3 2014 88.1 2014 66.6 2014 1.1 2014 99.1 2012 97.9 2012 87.7 2012 1.0 2012 99.9 2010 99.8 2010 99.5 2010 1.0 2010 86.5 2014 78.7 2014 54.0 2014 1.0 2014 100.0 2008 100.0 2008 100.0 2008 1.0 2008 99.2 2017 96.1 2018 69.5 2015 1.0 2017 99.8 2009 99.2 2009 92.5 2009 1.0 2009 92.5 2015 84.7 2015 58.6 2015 1.0 2015 99.8 2011 99.9 2011 99.9 2011 1.0 2011 99.2 2009 91.2 2009 60.2 2009 1.0 2009 86.6 2014 76.6 2014 51.4 2014 1.2 2014 49.1 2007 42.9 2007 32.8 2007 0.6 2007 99.6 2004 86.1 2004 24.2 2004 1.0 2004 99.9 2011 99.8 2011 99.8 2011 1.0 2011 76.8 2012 71.6 2012 49.4 2012 1.0 2012 72.9 2015 62.1 2015 35.1 2015 1.0 2015 98.2 2001 89.5 2001 47.1 2001 1.0 2001 99.3 2014 98.6 2014 92.8 2014 1.0 2014 49.4 2015 33.1 2015 13.6 2015 0.6 2015 98.9 2011 93.3 2011 85.8 2011 1.0 2011 98.5 2011 98.3 2011 89.4 2011 1.0 2011 99.8 2014 96.9 2014 88.1 2014 1.0 2014 56.1 2007 45.5 2007 26.6 2007 0.7 2007 98.1 2011 93.2 2016 64.6 2011 1.0 2011 99.1 2016 94.9 2016 78.9 2016 1.0 2016 98.5 2010 98.3 2010 94.6 2010 1.0 2010 99.2 2011 98.4 2011 93.9 2011 1.0 2011 97.7 2018 73.8 2018 34.1 2018 0.99 2018 70.5 2015 56.0 2015 26.0 2015 0.8 2015 84.8 2016 75.6 2016 58.2 2016 1.0 2016 94.4 2011 88.3 2011 56.7 2011 1.0 2011 84.8 2011 68 2018 20.8 2011 0.9 2011 99.2 2014 97.8 2014 90.6 2014 1.0 2014 87.0 2005 78.0 2005 49.2 2005 1.0 2005 39.8 2012 30.6 2012 13.7 2012 0.7 2012 66.4 2008 51.1 2008 21.6 2008 0.8 2008 98.7 2002 96.1 2002 82.5 2002 1.0 2002 98.7 2017 96.1 2017 41.9 2016 1.0 2017 74.5 2017 59.1 2017 27.1 2017 0.83 2017 98.7 2015 96.6 2015 84.7 2015 1.0 2015 99 2020 97 2019 63.9 2016 1.13 2016 97.6 2010 94.1 2010 80.9 2010 1.0 2010 67.9 2010 61.6 2010 33.0 2010 1.1 2010 98.5 2016 94.7 2016 77.8 2016 1.0 2016 98.9 2016 94.1 2017 77.7 2016 1.0 2016 98.1 2013 96.4 2013 90.1 2013 1.0 2013 99.8 2008 98.7 2008 93.0 2008 1.0 2008 99.4 2011 94.5 2011 80.5 2011 1.0 2011 98.8 2010 92.4 2017 84.5 2010 1.0 2010 95.9 2004 89.0 2004 41.0 2004 1.0 2004 99.5 2012 99.1 2012 95.8 2012 1.0 2012 99.0 2011 98.6 2011 96.8 2011 1.0 2011 99.7 2010 99.7 2010 99.2 2010 1.0 2010 85.1 2014 70.8 2014 24.3 2014 1.0 2014 95.7 1982 78.6 1982 42.0 1982 1.0 1982 96.0 1998 99.5 1982 99.3 1982 98.5 1982 1.0 1982 99.2 2011 99.0 2011 96.3 2011 1.0 2011 96.7 2012 90.1 2012 49.6 2012 1.0 2012 99.2 2013 94.4 2013 51.4 2013 1.0 2013 69.5 2017 51.9 2017 21.5 2013 0.8 2017 99.7 2016 98.8 2016 96.6 2016 1.0 2016 99.0 2010 94.0 2010 71.5 2010 1.0 2010 57.0 2013 32.4 2013 3.7 2013 0.8 2013 99.9 2016 97.0 2016 84.0 2015 1.0 2016 99.8 2014 99.7 2014 99.3 2014 1.0 2014 76.6 1999 99.0 2015 94.4 2015 72.1 2015 1.0 2015 36.7 2008 26.8 2008 11.0 2008 0.7 2008 99.6 2016 98.3 2016 94.7 2016 1.0 2016 98.9 2017 91.9 2017 81.0 2016 1.0 2017 98.0 1970 95.6 1970 91.0 1970 1.0 1970 65.8 2008 53.5 2008 24.3 2008 0.9 2008 97.7 2012 92.9 2012 76.0 2012 1.0 2012 92.5 2004 80.8 2004 39.0 2004 1.0 2004 99.9 2014 99.8 2014 98.1 2014 1.0 2014 85.8 2015 77.9 2015 43.5 2015 1.0 2015 98.1 2015 92.9 2015 78.7 2015 1.0 2015 79.5 2010 58.3 2010 11.2 2010 1.0 2010 84.3 2015 63.7 2015 20.4 2015 0.9 2015 99.4 2011 99.4 2011 98.9 2011 1.0 2011 99.3 1990 96.9 1990 82.8 1990 1.0 1990 96.2 2014 79.0 2014 39.8 2014 1.0 2014 99.6 2016 96.2 2016 88.1 2016 1.0 2016 99.8 2014 99.7 2014 97.6 2014 1.0 2014 83.7 2012 70.2 2012 36.1 2012 1.0 2012 100.0 2012 100.0 2012 100.0 2012 1.0 2012 95.0 2005 90.0 2005 42.1 2005 1.0 2005 98.9 2017 98.6 2017 97.1 2016 1.0 2017 100.0 2016 100.0 2016 99.8 2016 1.0 2016 95.3 2014 84.7 2014 44.2 2014 1.0 2014 98.8 2016 97.1 2016 88.1 2016 1.0 2016 97.1 2009 95.8 2019 76.9 2009 1.0 2009 77.0 2004 54.1 2004 13.7 2004 0.7 2004 88.7 2010 83.0 2010 52.3 2010 0.9 2010 90.4 2014 88.7 2014 81.1 2014 1.1 2014

List of UN member and observer states by adult literacy rate

"*" indicates "Literacy in country or territory" or "Education in country or territory" links.