Literacy
This entry includes a definition of literacy and UNESCO's percentage estimates for populations aged 15 years and over, including total population, males, and females. There are no universal definitions and standards of literacy. Unless otherwise specified, all rates are based on the most common definition - the ability to read and write at a specified age. Detailing the standards that individual countries use to assess the ability to read and write is beyond the scope of the Factbook. Information on literacy, while not a perfect measure of educational results, is probably the most easily available and valid for international comparisons. Low levels of literacy, and education in general, can impede the economic development of a country in the current rapidly changing, technology-driven world.
Afghanistan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 37.3%
male: 52.1%
female: 22.6% (2021)Albania
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.1%
male: 98.5%
female: 97.8% (2018)Algeria
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 81.4%
male: 87.4%
female: 75.3% (2018)American Samoa
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAAndorra
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (2016)Angola
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 71.1%
male: 82%
female: 60.7% (2015)Anguilla
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAAntigua and Barbuda
definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling
total population: 99%
male: 98.4%
female: 99.4% (2015)Argentina
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 98.9%
female: 99.1% (2018)Armenia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.7% (2020)Aruba
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.8%
male: 97.8%
female: 97.8% (2018)Australia
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAAustria
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAAzerbaijan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.9%
female: 99.7% (2019)Bahamas, The
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NABahrain
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.5%
male: 99.9%
female: 94.9% (2018)Bangladesh
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 74.9%
male: 77.8%
female: 72% (2020)Barbados
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.6%
male: 99.6%
female: 99.6% (2014)Belarus
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.9%
male: 99.9%
female: 99.9% (2019)Belgium
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NABelize
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NABenin
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 42.4%
male: 54%
female: 31.1% (2018)Bermuda
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NABhutan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 66.6%
male: 75%
female: 57.1% (2017)Bolivia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.5%
male: 96.5%
female: 88.6% (2015)Bosnia and Herzegovina
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.5%
male: 99.5%
female: 97.5% (2015)Botswana
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.5%
male: 88%
female: 88.9% (2015)Brazil
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.2%
male: 93%
female: 93.4% (2018)British Virgin Islands
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NABrunei
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.2%
male: 98.1%
female: 93.4% (2018)Bulgaria
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.4%
male: 98.7%
female: 98.1% (2015)Burkina Faso
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 39.3%
male: 49.2%
female: 31% (2018)Burma
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89.1%
male: 92.4%
female: 86.3% (2019)Burundi
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 68.4%
male: 76.3%
female: 61.2% (2017)Cabo Verde
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 86.8%
male: 91.7%
female: 82% (2015)Cambodia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 80.5%
male: 86.5%
female: 75% (2015)Cameroon
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 77.1%
male: 82.6%
female: 71.6% (2018)Canada
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NACayman Islands
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NACentral African Republic
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 37.4%
male: 49.5%
female: 25.8% (2018)Chad
definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic
total population: 22.3%
male: 31.3%
female: 14% (2016)Chile
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.4%
male: 96.3%
female: 96.3% (2017)China
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.8%
male: 98.5%
female: 95.2% (2018)Colombia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.6%
male: 95.4%
female: 95.9% (2020)Comoros
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 58.8%
male: 64.6%
female: 53% (2018)Congo, Democratic Republic of the
definition: age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba
total population: 77%
male: 88.5%
female: 66.5% (2016)Congo, Republic of the
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 80.3%
male: 86.1%
female: 74.6% (2018)Cook Islands
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NACosta Rica
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.9%
male: 97.8%
female: 97.9% (2018)Cote d'Ivoire
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89.9%
male: 93.1%
female: 86.7% (2019)Croatia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.3%
male: 99.7%
female: 98.9% (2015)Cuba
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.9%
female: 99.8% (2015)Cyprus
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.1%
male: 99.5%
female: 98.7% (2015)Czechia
definition: NA
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2011)Denmark
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NADjibouti
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NADominica
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NADominican Republic
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.8%
male: 93.8%
female: 93.8% (2016)Ecuador
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.6%
male: 94.8%
female: 92.5% (2020)Egypt
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 71.2%
male: 76.5%
female: 65.5% (2017)El Salvador
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89.1%
male: 91.3%
female: 87.3% (2019)Equatorial Guinea
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.3%
male: 97.4%
female: 93% (2015)Eritrea
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.6%
male: 84.4%
female: 68.9% (2018)Estonia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.8% (2015)Eswatini
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.4%
male: 88.3%
female: 88.5% (2018)Ethiopia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 51.8%
male: 57.2%
female: 44.4% (2017)European Union
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAFalkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAFaroe Islands
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAFiji
total population: 99.1%
male: 99.1%
female: 99.1% (2018)Finland
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAFrance
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAFrench Polynesia
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAGabon
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 84.7%
male: 85.9%
female: 83.4% (2018)Gambia, The
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 50.8%
male: 61.8%
female: 41.6% (2015)Gaza Strip
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.5%
male: 98.8%
female: 96.2% (2020)
note: estimates are for Gaza Strip and the West BankGeorgia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.6%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.5% (2019)Germany
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAGhana
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79%
male: 83.5%
female: 74.5% (2018)Gibraltar
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAGreece
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.9%
male: 98.5%
female: 97.4% (2018)Greenland
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (2015)Grenada
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.6%
male: 98.6%
female: 98.6% (2014 est.)Guam
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAGuatemala
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 80.8%
male: 85.3%
female: 76.7% (2018)Guernsey
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAGuinea
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 39.6%
male: 54.4%
female: 27.7% (2018)Guinea-Bissau
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 59.9%
male: 71.8%
female: 48.3% (2015)Guyana
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 88.5%
male: 87.2%
female: 89.8% (2015)Haiti
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 61.7%
male: 65.3%
female: 58.3% (2016)Holy See (Vatican City)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAHonduras
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.5%
male: 88.2%
female: 88.7% (2019)Hong Kong
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAHungary
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.1%
male: 99.1%
female: 99% (2015)Iceland
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAIndia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 74.4%
male: 82.4%
female: 65.8% (2018)Indonesia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96%
male: 97.4%
female: 94.6% (2020)Iran
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85.5%
male: 90.4%
female: 80.8% (2016)Iraq
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85.6%
male: 91.2%
female: 79.9% (2017)Ireland
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAIsle of Man
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAIsrael
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.8%
male: 98.7%
female: 96.8% (2011)Italy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.2%
male: 99.4%
female: 99% (2018)Jamaica
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 88.7%
male: 84%
female: 93.1% (2015)Japan
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAJersey
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAJordan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.2%
male: 98.6%
female: 97.8% (2018)Kazakhstan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.7% (2018)Kenya
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 81.5%
male: 85%
female: 78.2% (2018)Kiribati
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAKorea, North
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (2015)Korea, South
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAKuwait
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.5%
male: 97.1%
female: 95.4% (2020)Kyrgyzstan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.6%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.5% (2018)Laos
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 84.7%
male: 90%
female: 79.4% (2015)Latvia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.9%
male: 99.9%
female: 99.9% (2018)Lebanon
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.1%
male: 96.9%
female: 93.3% (2018)Lesotho
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79.4%
male: 70.1%
female: 88.3% (2015)Liberia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 48.3%
male: 62.7%
female: 34.1% (2017)Libya
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91%
male: 96.7%
female: 85.6% (2015)Liechtenstein
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NALithuania
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.8% (2015)Luxembourg
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAMacau
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.5%
male: 98.2%
female: 95% (2016)Madagascar
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.7%
male: 78.4%
female: 75.1% (2018)Malawi
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 62.1%
male: 69.8%
female: 55.2% (2015)Malaysia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95%
male: 96.2%
female: 93.6% (2019)Maldives
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.7%
male: 97.3%
female: 98.1% (2016)Mali
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 35.5%
male: 46.2%
female: 25.7% (2018)Malta
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.5%
male: 93%
female: 96% (2018)Marshall Islands
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.3%
male: 98.3%
female: 98.2% (2011)Mauritania
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 53.5%
male: 63.7%
female: 43.4% (2017)Mauritius
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.3%
male: 93.4%
female: 89.4% (2018)Mexico
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.2%
male: 96.1%
female: 94.5% (2020)Micronesia, Federated States of
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAMoldova
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.4%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.1% (2015)Monaco
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAMongolia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.2%
male: 99.1%
female: 99.2% (2020)Montenegro
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.8%
male: 99.5%
female: 98.3% (2018)Montserrat
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAMorocco
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 73.8%
male: 83.3%
female: 64.6% (2018)
note: does not include data from the former Western SaharaMozambique
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 60.7%
male: 72.6%
female: 50.3% (2017)Namibia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.5%
male: 91.6%
female: 91.4% (2018)Nauru
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NANepal
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 67.9%
male: 78.6%
female: 59.7% (2018)Netherlands
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NANew Caledonia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.9%
male: 97.3%
female: 96.5% (2015)New Zealand
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NANicaragua
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.6%
male: 82.4%
female: 82.8% (2015)Niger
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 35.1%
male: 43.6%
female: 26.7% (2018)Nigeria
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 62%
male: 71.3%
female: 52.7% (2018)Niue
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NANorfolk Island
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NANorth Macedonia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.4%
male: 99.1%
female: 97.6% (2020)Northern Mariana Islands
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NANorway
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAOman
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.7%
male: 97%
female: 92.7% (2018)Pakistan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 58%
male: 69.3%
female: 46.5% (2019)Palau
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.6%
male: 96.8%
female: 96.3% (2015)Panama
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.7%
male: 98.8%
female: 95.4% (2019)Papua New Guinea
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 64.2%
male: 65.6%
female: 62.8% (2015)Paraguay
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.5%
male: 94.9%
female: 94.2% (2020)Peru
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.5%
male: 97%
female: 92% (2020)Philippines
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.3%
male: 95.7%
female: 96.9% (2019)Pitcairn Islands
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAPoland
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.9%
female: 99.7% (2015)Portugal
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.1%
male: 97.4%
female: 95.1% (2018)Puerto Rico
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.4%
male: 92.4%
female: 92.4% (2017)Qatar
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.5%
male: 92.4%
female: 94.7% (2017)Romania
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.8%
male: 99.1%
female: 98.6% (2018)Russia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.7%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.7% (2018)Rwanda
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 73.2%
male: 77.6%
female: 69.4% (2018)Saint Barthelemy
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NASaint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NASaint Kitts and Nevis
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NASaint Lucia
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NASaint Martin
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NASaint Pierre and Miquelon
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NASaint Vincent and the Grenadines
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NASamoa
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.1%
male: 99%
female: 99.2% (2018)San Marino
total population: 99.9%
male: 99.9%
female: 99.9% (2018)Sao Tome and Principe
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.8%
male: 96.2%
female: 89.5% (2018)Saudi Arabia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.6%
male: 98.6%
female: 96% (2020)Senegal
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 51.9%
male: 64.8%
female: 39.8% (2017)Serbia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.5%
male: 99.9%
female: 99.1% (2019)Seychelles
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.9%
male: 95.4%
female: 96.4% (2018)Sierra Leone
definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic
total population: 43.2%
male: 51.6%
female: 39.8% (2018)Singapore
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.5%
male: 98.9%
female: 96.1% (2019)Sint Maarten
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NASlovakia
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NASlovenia
definition: NA
total population: 99.7%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.7% (2015)Solomon Islands
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NASomalia
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NASouth Africa
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95%
male: 95.5%
female: 94.5% (2019)South Sudan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 34.5%
male: 40.3%
female: 28.9% (2018)Spain
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.6%
male: 99%
female: 98.2% (2020)Sri Lanka
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.3%
male: 93%
female: 91.6% (2019)Sudan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 60.7%
male: 65.4%
female: 56.1% (2018)Suriname
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.4%
male: 96.1%
female: 92.7% (2018)Svalbard
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NASweden
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NASwitzerland
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NASyria
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 86.4%
male: 91.7%
female: 81% (2015)Taiwan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.5%
male: 99.7%
female: 97.3% (2014)Tajikistan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.7% (2015)Tanzania
definition: age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili), English, or Arabic
total population: 77.9%
male: 83.2%
female: 73.1% (2015)Thailand
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.8%
male: 95.2%
female: 92.4% (2018)Timor-Leste
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 68.1%
male: 71.9%
female: 64.2% (2018)Togo
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 66.5%
male: 80%
female: 55.1% (2019)Tokelau
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NATonga
definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English
total population: 99.4%
male: 99.4%
female: 99.5% (2018)Trinidad and Tobago
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99.2%
female: 98.7% (2015)Tunisia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 81.8%
male: 89.6%
female: 74.2% (2015)Turkey (Turkiye)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.7%
male: 99.1%
female: 94.4% (2019)Turkmenistan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.7%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.6% (2015)Turks and Caicos Islands
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NATuvalu
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAUganda
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.5%
male: 82.7%
female: 70.8% (2018)Ukraine
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.7% (2015)United Arab Emirates
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.6%
male: 98%
female: 96.9% (2019)United Kingdom
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAUnited States
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAUruguay
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.8%
male: 98.5%
female: 99% (2019)Uzbekistan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (2019)Vanuatu
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 87.5%
male: 88.3%
female: 86.7% (2018)Venezuela
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.1%
male: 97%
female: 97.2% (2016)Vietnam
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.8%
male: 97%
female: 94.6% (2019)Virgin Islands
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAWallis and Futuna
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NAWest Bank
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.5%
male: 98.8%
female: 96.2% (2020)
note: estimates are for Gaza and the West BankWorld
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 86.7%
male: 90.1%
female: 83.3% (2020)
note: more than three quarters of the world's 750 million illiterate adults are found in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa; of all the illiterate adults in the world, almost two thirds are women (2016)Yemen
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 70.1%
male: 85.1%
female: 55% (2015)Zambia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
total population: 86.7%
male: 90.6%
female: 83.1% (2018)Zimbabwe
definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
total population: 86.5%
male: 88.5%
female: 84.6% (2015)