Sao Tome and Principe: Literacy rate

* indicates monthly or quarterly data series
 Sao Tome and Principe

Literacy rate

 Latest value 87.44
 Year 2019
 Measure percent
 Data availability 1981 - 2019
 Average 78.61
 Min - Max 57.32 - 90.14
 Source UNESCO
 Available for Data download
The latest value from 2019 is 87.44 percent, a decline from 90.14 percent in 2012. In comparison, the world average is 83.34 percent, based on data from 54 countries. Historically, the average for Sao Tome and Principe from 1981 to 2019 is 78.61 percent. The minimum value, 57.32 percent, was reached in 1981 while the maximum of 90.14 percent was recorded in 2012. See the global rankings for that indicator or use the country comparator to compare trends over time.
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 Recent values Sao Tome and Principe: Literacy rate
 2019 87.44
 2012 90.14
 2001 84.91
 1991 73.24
 1981 57.32




Definition: Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.

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 Related indicators Latest Reference Measure
 Education spending, percent of GDP 5.03 2023 percent
 Education spending, percent of government spending 18.09 2024 percent
 Literacy rate 87.44 2019 percent
 Female literacy rate, ages 15-24 95.07 2019 percent
 Male literacy rate, ages 15-24 95.85 2019 percent
 Youth literacy rate, ages 15-24 95.49 2019 percent
 Primary school completion rate 85.15 2017 percent
 School starting age, primary school 6 2025 years
 Female to male ratio, primary school pupils 0.97 2017 percent
 Female to male ratio, secondary school students 1.16 2017 percent
 Female to male ratio, students at tertiary level education 1.03 2015 percent
 Primary school enrollment 110.38 2017 percent
 Secondary school enrollment 90.44 2017 percent
 Tertiary school enrollment 12.82 2015 percent
 Trained teachers in primary education 27.41 2017 percent
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