Literacy rate - Country rankings

* indicates monthly or quarterly data series

Literacy rate, 2021:

The average for 2021 based on 13 countries was 67.42 percent. The highest value was in Namibia: 92.25 percent and the lowest value was in Burkina Faso: 36.97 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
Namibia 92.25 1 1991 - 2021
Mauritius 92.15 2 1990 - 2021
South Africa 90 3 1980 - 2021
Gabon 88.86 4 1993 - 2022
R. of Congo 80.61 5 1984 - 2021
Madagascar 74.69 6 2000 - 2022
Mauritania 66.96 7 2000 - 2021
Nigeria 63.16 8 1991 - 2021
Gambia 51.64 9 2000 - 2022
Ivory Coast 50 10 1988 - 2021
Guinea 45.33 11 1996 - 2021
Benin 43.83 12 1979 - 2022
Burkina Faso 36.97 13 1975 - 2022


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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All articles

1. Namibia
2. Mauritius
3. South Africa
4. Gabon
5. R. of Congo
6. Madagascar
7. Mauritania
8. Nigeria
9. Gambia
10. Ivory Coast
11. Guinea
12. Benin
13. Burkina Faso
92.25
92.15
90.00
88.86
80.61
74.69
66.96
63.16
51.64
50.00
45.33
43.83
36.97
0
23.1
46.1
69.2
92.25


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