list of countries by literacy rate
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List of countries by literacy rate
World map indicating literacy by country in 2013 (2013 UNHuman Development Reportand Individual statistics departments) Grey = no dataThis is alist of countries byliteracyrate. The figures represent a mixture of data collected by theCIA World Factbook,[1]and national self-reported data. Where data was unavailable, older figures were used. For highly developed/high income countries where literacy statistics were not collected, a rate of 99% was assumed.Contents[hide] 1List 2See also 3References 4External linksList[edit]According to the CIA World Factbook, almost 75% of the world's 775 million illiterate adults are concentrated in ten countries (in descending order: India, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt, Brazil, Indonesia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo). Women represent two-thirds of all illiterate adults globally. Extremely low literacy rates are focused in three regions: South Asia, West Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. The global literacy rate for all people aged 15 and over is 84.1%. The global literacy rate for all males is 88.6% and the rate for all females is 79.7%.[2]CountryLiteracy rate (all)Male LiteracyFemale LiteracyGender DifferenceCriteria
World84.1%88.6%79.7%8.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
Afghanistan28.1%43.1%12.6%30.5%age 15 and over can read and write (2000 est.)[1]
Albania96.8%98%95.7%2.3%age 9 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]
Algeria86%86%86%14.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[3]
American Samoa97%98%97%1%age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)[1]
Andorra100%100%100%0%age 15 and over can read and write[1]
Angola71.1%82.0%60.7%21.3%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Antigua and Barbuda99%98.4%99.4%-1.0%age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling (2011 est.)[1]
Argentina97.9%97.8%97.9%-0.1%age 10 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]
Armenia99.6%99.7%99.5%0.2%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]
Aruba96.8%96.9%96.7%0.2%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
Australia96%96%96%0%age 15 and over can read brief texts on familiar topics (2011-2)[4]
Austria98%N/AN/AN/Aage 15 and over can read and write[1]
Azerbaijan99.8%99.9%99.7%0.2%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 census)[1]
Bahamas, The95.6%94.7%96.5%-1.8%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]
Bahrain94.6%96.1%91.6%4.5%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 census)[1]
Bangladesh57.7%62%53.4%8.6%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]
Barbados99.7%99.7%99.7%0.0%age 15 and over has ever attended school (2002 est.)[1]
Belarus99.6%99.8%99.5%0.3%age 15 and over can read and write (2009 census)[1]
Belgium99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]
Belize79.7%75.2%84.1%-8.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 census)[5]
Benin42.4%55.2%30.3%24.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 census)[1]
Bermuda98%98%99%-1%age 15 and over can read and write (2005 est.)[1]
Bhutan64.9%73.1%55%18.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Bolivia95.7%97.8%93.6%4.2%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Bosnia and Herzegovina99.4%99.8%98.9%0.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]
Botswana88.5%88%88.9%-0.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Brazil91.33%91.02%91.63%N/Aage 15 and over can read and write (2012 est.)[6][7][8]
British Virgin Islands97.8%N/AN/AN/Aage 15 and over can read and write (1991 est.)[1]
Brunei95.4%97%93.9%3.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]
Bulgaria98.4%98.7%98%0.7%age 15 and over can read and write (2011)[1]
Burkina Faso36%43%29.3%13.7%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Burma93.1%95.2%91.2%4%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Burundi85.6%88.2%83.1%5.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Cambodia77.2%84.5%70.5%14%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Cameroon75%81.2%68.9%12.3%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Canada99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]
Cape Verde87.6%92.1%83.1%9%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Cayman Islands98.9%98.7%99%-0.3%age 15 and over has ever attended school (2007 est.)[1]
Central African Republic56.6%69.6%44.2%25.4%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]
Chad35.4%45.6%25.4%20.2%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]
Chile98.6%98.6%98.5%0.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2009 est.)[1]
China95.1%97.5%92.7%4.8%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
Christmas IslandN/AN/AN/AN/A[1]
Cocos (Keeling) IslandsN/AN/AN/AN/A[1]
Colombia94.7%94.6%94.8%-0.2%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est)[1]
Comoros75.5%80.5%70.6%9.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]
Congo, Democratic Republic of the66.8%76.9%57%19.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
Congo, Republic of the83.8%89.6%78.4%11.2%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]
Cook Islands95%N/AN/AN/Aage 15 and over can read and write[1]
Costa Rica97.8%97.7%97.8%-0.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Croatia99.2%99.4%98.7%0.7%age 10 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[9]
Cuba99.8%99.8%99.8%0.0%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]
Cyprus98.7%99.3%98.1%1.2%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]
Czech Republic99%99%99%0%(2011 est.)[1]
Denmark99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]
Djibouti70%N/AN/AN/Aage 15 and over can read and write (2012 est.)[10]
Dominica94%94%94%0%age 15 and over has ever attended school (2003 est.)[1]
Dominican Republic91.8%91.2%92.3%-1.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Ecuador94.5%95.4%93.5%1.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Egypt73.8%82.2%65.4%16.8%age 10 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
El Salvador88%90.4%86%4.4%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Equatorial Guinea95.3%97.4%93%4.4%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Eritrea80%N/AN/AN/Aage 15 and over can read and write (2013 est.)[11]
Estonia99.8%99.8%99.8%0.0%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]
Ethiopia49.1%57.2%41.1%16.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Falkland IslandsN/AN/AN/AN/A[1]
Faroe IslandsN/AN/AN/AN/ANote probably 99%, the same as Denmark proper[1]
Fiji93.7%95.5%91.9%3.6%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]
Finland100%100%100%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2000 est.)[1]
France99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]
French Polynesia98%98%98%0%age 14 and over can read and write (1977 est.)[1]
Gabon88.4%91.9%84.9%7.0%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
Gambia, The50%60%40.4%19.6%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
Gaza Strip96.4%98.3%94.3%4.0%age 15 and over can read and write (2012 est.)[12]
Georgia99.8%99.8%99.7%0.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Germany99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]
Ghana76.6%82%71.4%10.6%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Gibraltar>80%N/AN/AN/A[1]
Greece98.9%98.8%99%-0.2%age 15 and over can read and write (2001 census)[1]
Greenland100%100%100%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2001 est.)[1]
Grenada96%N/AN/AN/Aage 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]
Guam99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)[1]
Guatemala83.4%N/AN/AN/Aage 15 and over can read and write (2012 est.)[13]
GuernseyN/AN/AN/AN/A[1]
Guinea41%52%30%22%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
Guinea-Bissau59.9%71.8%48.3%23.5%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Guyana91.8%92%91.6%0.4%age 15 and over has ever attended school (2002 census)[1]
Haiti52.9%54.8%51.2%3.6%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]
Honduras88.5%88.4%88.6%-0.2%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Hong Kong93.5%96.9%89.6%7.3%age 15 and over has ever attended school (2002)[1]
Hungary99%99.2%98.9%0.3%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]
Iceland99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]
India74.4%82.1%65.5%16.6%age 7 and over can read and write (2011 census)[14]
Indonesia92.8%97%89.6%7.4%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
Iran86.8%91.2%82.5%8.7%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Iraq80.2%89%73.6%15.4%age 15 and over can read and write (2012 est.)[1]
Ireland99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]
Isle of ManN/AN/AN/AN/A[1]
Israel97.8%98.7%95.8%2.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Italy99%99.2%98.7%0.5%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 census)[1]
Ivory Coast56.2%65.2%46.6%18.6%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
Jamaica88.7%84.0%93.1%-9.1%age 15 and over has ever attended school (2015 est.)[1]
Japan99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2002 census)[1]
JerseyN/AN/AN/AN/A[1]
Jordan93.4%96.6%90.2%6.4%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]
Kazakhstan99.5%99.8%99.3%0.5%age 15 and over can read and write (1999 est.)[1]
Kenya87.4%90.6%84.2%6.4%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
KiribatiN/AN/AN/AN/A[1]
Korea, North100%100%100%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2008 est.)[1]
Korea, South97.9%99.2%96.6%2.6%age 15 and over can read and write (2002)[1]
Kosovo, Republic of91.9%96.6%87.5%9.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2007 census)[1]
Kuwait94%94.4%97%-2.6%age 15 and over can read and write (2007-2011 census)[15]
Kyrgyzstan98.7%99.3%98.1%1.2%age 15 and over can read and write (1999 census)[1]
Laos79.9%87.1%72.8%14.3%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Latvia99.8%99.8%99.8%0.0%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]
Lebanon89.6%93.4%86%7.4%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]
Lesotho89.6%83.3%95.6%-12.3%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
Liberia60.8%64.8%56.8%10.0%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
Libya94.2%98.6%90.7%7.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
Liechtenstein100%100%100%0%age 10 and over can read and write[1]
Lithuania99.7%99.7%99.7%0.0%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
Luxembourg100%100%100%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2000 est.)[1]
Macau91.3%95.3%87.8%7.5%age 15 and over can read and write (2001 census)[1]
Macedonia, Republic of97.3%98.7%95.9%2.8%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
Madagascar64.7%66.7%62.6%4.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Malawi74.8%81.1%68.5%12.6%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
Malaysia93.1%95.4%90.7%4.7%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 census)[1]
Maldives99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2006 census)[1]
Mali27.7%36.1%19.8%16.3%age 15 and over can read and write (2009 census)[1]
Malta92.8%91.7%93.9%-2.2%age 10 and over can read and write (2005 census)[1]
Marshall Islands93.7%93.6%93.7%-0.1%age 15 and over can read and write (1999 est.)[1]
Mauritania52.1%62.6%41.6%21%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Mauritius89.8%92.3%87.3%5.0%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 census)[16]
Mexico95.1%96.2%94.2%2%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 estimate)[1]
Micronesia, Federated States of89%91%88%3%age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)[1]
Moldova98.5%99.1%98.1%1.0%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
Monaco99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]
Mongolia97.4%96.9%97.9%-1.0%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
Montenegro98.4%99.4%97.4%2.0%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
Montserrat97%97%97%0%age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970 est.)[1]
Morocco67.1%76.1%57.6%18.5%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]
Mozambique58.8%73.3%45.4%27.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Namibia88.8%89%88.5%0.5%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
NauruN/AN/AN/AN/A[1]
Nepal66%75.1%57.4%17.7%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 census)[1]
Netherlands99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]
New Caledonia96.2%96.8%95.5%1.3%age 15 and over can read and write (1996 census)[1]
New Zealand99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]
Nicaragua82.8%82.4%83.2%-0.8%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Niger28.7%42.9%15.1%27.8%age 15 and over can read and write (2005 est.)[1]
Nigeria61.3%72.1%50.4%21.7%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
Niue95%N/AN/AN/A[1]
Norfolk Island100%100%100%0%[1]
Northern Mariana Islands97%97%96%1%age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)[1]
Norway100%100%100%0%[1]
Oman81.4%86.8%73.5%13.3%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 census)[1]
Pakistan55%67%42%25%age 15 and over can read and write.[3][4]
Palau92%93%90%3%age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)[1]
Palestine95.6%98.1%93.1%5.0%age 15 and over can read and write (2012 est.)[17]
Panama95%95.7%94.4%1.3%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Papua New Guinea64.2%65.6%62.8%2.8%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Paraguay94%94.9%93%1.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]
Peru94.5%97.3%91.7%5.6%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Philippines96.3%95.8%96.8%-1%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Pitcairn IslandsN/AN/AN/AN/A[1]
Poland99.7%99.9%99.6%0.3%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]
Portugal95.4%97%94%3%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]
Puerto Rico94.1%93.9%94.4%-0.5%age 15 and over can read and write (2002 est.)[1]
Qatar96.3%96.5%95.4%1.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
Romania97.7%98.3%97.1%1.2%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]
Russia99.7%99.7%99.6%0.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
Rwanda71.1%74.8%67.5%7.3%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha97%97%98%-1%age 20 and over can read and write (1987 est.)[1]
Saint Kitts and Nevis97.8%N/AN/AN/Aage 15 and over has ever attended school (2003 est.)[1]
Saint Lucia90.1%89.5%90.6%-1.1%age 15 and over has ever attended school (2001 est.)[1]
Saint Pierre and Miquelon99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (1982 est.)[1]
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines96%96%96%0%age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970 est.)[1]
Samoa99.7%99.6%99.7%-0.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]
San Marino96%97%95%2%age 10 and over can read and write[1]
Sao Tome and Principe84.9%92.2%77.9%14.3%age 15 and over can read and write (2001 census)[1]
Saudi Arabia86.6%90.4%81.3%9.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
Senegal39.3%51.1%29.2%21.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2002 est.)[1]
Serbia98%99.2%96.9%2.3%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]
Seychelles91.8%91.4%92.3%-0.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2002 census)[1]
Sierra Leone35.1%46.9%24.4%22.5%age 15 and over can read and write (2004 est.)[1]
Singapore95.9%98.0%93.8%4.2%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
Slovakia99.6%99.7%99.6%0.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2004)[1]
Slovenia99.7%99.7%99.7%0.0%(2010 est.)[1]
Solomon Islands84.1%88.9%79.2%9.7%[1]
SomaliaN/AN/AN/AN/A[18]
South Africa94.3%95.5%93.1%2.4%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
South Sudan27%40%16%24%age 15 and over can read and write[1]
Spain97.7%98.5%97%1.5%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
Sri Lanka98.1%97.7%98.6%-0.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 census)[1]
Sudan75.9%83.3%68.6%14.7%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Suriname95.6%96.1%95%1.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
SvalbardN/AN/AN/AN/A[1]
Swaziland87.5%87.4%87.5%-0.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Sweden99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]
Switzerland99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]
Syria79.6%86%73.6%12.4%age 15 and over can read and write (2004 census)[1]
Taiwan98.29%99.62%96.97%2.65%age 15 and over can read and write (2012)[19]
Tajikistan99.7%99.8%99.6%0.2%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
Tanzania70.6%75.9%65.4%10.5%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Thailand96.7%96.6%96.7%-0.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Timor-Leste67.5%71.5%63.4%8.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Togo60.9%75.4%46.9%28.5%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]
TokelauN/AN/AN/AN/A[1]
Tonga98.9%98.8%99%-0.2%can read and write Tongan and/or English (1999 est.)[1]
Trinidad and Tobago98.6%99.1%98%1.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]
Tunisia88.3%95.1%80.3%14.8%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 census)[1]
Turkey95.4%98.5%92.4%6.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2014 est.)[20]
Turkmenistan98.8%99.3%98.3%1.0%age 15 and over can read and write (1999 est.)[1]
Turks and Caicos Islands98%99%98%1%age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970 est.)[1]
TuvaluN/AN/AN/AN/A[1]
Uganda78.4%85.3%71.5%13.8%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Ukraine99.7%99.8%99.6%0.2%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
United Arab Emirates77.9%76.1%81.7%-5.6%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]
United Kingdom99%99%99%0%age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling (2003 est.)[1]
United States99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]
United States Virgin Islands90-95% est.N/AN/AN/Aage 15 and over can read and write (2005 est.)[1]
Uruguay98.5%98.2%98.8%-0.6%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[21]
Uzbekistan99.3%99.6%99%0.6%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]
Vanuatu85.2%86.6%83.8%2.8%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]
Vatican City99%99%99%0%[1]
Venezuela95.5%95.7%95.4%0.3%age 15 and over can read and write (2009 est.)[22]
Vietnam94%96.1%92%4.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2002 est.)[1]
Wallis and Futuna50%50%50%0%age 15 and over can read and write (1969 est.)[1]
Western SaharaN/AN/AN/AN/A[1]
Yemen63.9%81.2%46.8%34.4%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]
Zambia80.6%86.8%74.8%12%age 15 and over can read and write English (2003 est.)[1]
Zimbabwe90.7%94.2%87.2%7.0%age 15 and over can read and write English (2003 est.)[1]