* indicates monthly or quarterly data series

Literacy rate, 2021:

The average for 2021 based on 15 countries was 99 percent. The highest value was in Russia: 100 percent and the lowest value was in Malta: 94.94 percent. The indicator is available from 1970 to 2023. 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, 2021 Global rank Available data
Russia 100 1 1989 - 2021
Ukraine 100 2 2001 - 2021
Latvia 99.89 3 1989 - 2021
Estonia 99.87 4 1989 - 2021
Lithuania 99.83 5 1989 - 2021
Poland 99.8 6 1978 - 2021
Moldova 99.6 7 1989 - 2021
Croatia 99.45 8 1991 - 2021
Cyprus 99.36 9 1992 - 2021
Hungary 99.1 10 1980 - 2021
Romania 99 11 1992 - 2021
Montenegro 98.98 12 1981 - 2021
Bulgaria 98.42 13 2001 - 2021
Portugal 96.78 14 1981 - 2021
Malta 94.94 15 1985 - 2021


New - World map: Literacy rate




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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