Literacy rate - Country rankings

* indicates monthly or quarterly data series

Literacy rate, 2020 - Country rankings:

The average for 2020 based on 28 countries was 89.34 percent.The highest value was in Kazakhstan: 99.8 percent and the lowest value was in Mali: 30.76 percent. The indicator is available from 1970 to 2021. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Measure: percent; Source: UNESCO
Select indicator
* indicates monthly or quarterly data series


Countries Literacy rate, 2020 Global rank Available data
Kazakhstan 99.8 1 1989 - 2020
Armenia 99.79 2 1989 - 2020
Russia 99.7 3 1989 - 2020
Mongolia 99.18 4 2000 - 2020
Spain 98.59 5 1981 - 2020
Aruba 97.99 6 2000 - 2020
Saudi Arabia 97.59 7 1992 - 2020
Palestine 97.51 8 1997 - 2020
China 97.15 9 1982 - 2020
Singapore 97.13 10 1980 - 2020
Kuwait 96.46 11 1975 - 2020
Seychelles 96.2 12 1987 - 2020
Indonesia 96 13 1980 - 2020
Colombia 95.64 14 1993 - 2020
Mexico 95.25 15 1980 - 2020
Paraguay 94.54 16 1982 - 2020
Peru 94.5 17 1981 - 2020
Bolivia 93.85 18 1976 - 2020
Ecuador 93.63 19 1982 - 2021
Sri Lanka 92.38 20 1981 - 2020
El Salvador 89.98 21 1992 - 2020
Swaziland 89.28 22 1976 - 2020
Zambia 87.5 23 1990 - 2020
Ghana 80.38 24 2000 - 2020
Cameroon 78.23 25 1976 - 2020
Bangladesh 74.91 26 1981 - 2020
C.A. Republic 37.49 27 1975 - 2020
Mali 30.76 28 1976 - 2020


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.
1. Kazakhstan
2. Armenia
3. Russia
4. Mongolia
5. Spain
6. Aruba
7. Saudi Arabia
8. Palestine
9. China
10. Singapore
11. Kuwait
12. Seychelles
13. Indonesia
14. Colombia
15. Mexico
16. Paraguay
17. Peru
18. Bolivia
19. Ecuador
20. Sri Lanka
21. El Salvador
22. Swaziland
23. Zambia
24. Ghana
25. Cameroon
26. Bangladesh
27. C.A. Republic
28. Mali
99.80
99.79
99.70
99.18
98.59
97.99
97.59
97.51
97.15
97.13
96.46
96.20
96.00
95.64
95.25
94.54
94.50
93.85
93.63
92.38
89.98
89.28
87.50
80.38
78.23
74.91
37.49
30.76
0
25
49.9
74.9
99.8
This site uses cookies.
Learn more here


OK