Literacy rates across the world
This reference shows literacy rates for major countries: the adult rate (ages 15+), the youth rate (ages 15–24), and male and female adult rates, plus the gender gap in percentage points. Sort by adult, youth or female rate, and filter by country or region.
How it works
The core figure is the adult literacy rate — the share of people aged 15 and over who can read and write a short, simple statement, as defined by UNESCO. It is a basic threshold rather than a test of advanced reading.
Two further breakdowns add depth. The youth literacy rate (ages 15–24) tracks the most recently schooled generation and usually sits above the adult rate; the gap between them shows how fast literacy is improving. The gender breakdown reports male and female rates separately, and the gap column subtracts the female rate from the male rate. A large positive gap signals that girls have had less access to education — a pattern concentrated in the lowest- literacy countries.
What the four columns reveal
Adult literacy rate (15+)
This is the headline figure: the percentage of all adults who can read and write at a basic level. Most high-income countries cluster above 98%, while lower-income regions show more variation. A very high adult rate does not mean advanced literacy — it means the population cleared the basic threshold, which can still leave significant functional illiteracy undetected.
Youth literacy rate (15–24)
The youth rate tracks those who have most recently been through the formal education system. Because school enrollment has expanded in nearly every country over the past several decades, youth rates are almost always higher than adult rates. The gap between the two is a rough signal of how quickly literacy is improving: a large gap (say, 99% youth vs 75% adult) means the older generation had far less schooling access, and the national figure will rise substantially as the population ages.
Gender gap
The gap column shows male minus female adult literacy in percentage points. A positive number means men have higher literacy rates than women. In the highest-literacy countries the gap is near zero. The largest gaps are found in countries where historical barriers to girls’ education — poverty, early marriage, distance to school, social norms — have been most severe. A negative value (female literacy higher than male) is uncommon but occurs in some countries, particularly in Caribbean and Pacific island nations.
Regional patterns
The global picture is uneven. High-income countries in Europe, North America, and East Asia typically show adult rates above 95–99%. Latin America has made substantial progress and most countries exceed 90%. Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of South and Central Asia show the most variation — some countries have raised literacy dramatically over a generation; others still show rates in the range of 40–70% for adults, with female rates significantly lower.
Countries with the lowest female literacy tend to also have low female school enrollment, high rates of child marriage, and limited female workforce participation. These are correlated outcomes of the same structural barriers rather than independent facts.
How literacy is measured
Literacy data typically comes from national censuses, household surveys, or self-reported data. The methodology matters. Census-based self-reporting can overstate ability (respondents declare themselves literate even when they struggle with reading tasks). Direct-assessment literacy surveys that test actual reading and writing skills routinely find “functional illiteracy” at rates several times higher than official literacy figures suggest.
UNESCO’s Institute for Statistics compiles and harmonises these national figures, but the reference years differ by country and some estimates are several years old. Treat this table as a reliable comparative reference, not a live measurement.
Notes and caveats
- Literacy here means a basic read-and-write threshold, not functional or advanced literacy.
- Youth rates above adult rates indicate improving schooling over time.
- A wide gender gap reflects unequal access to education, not differences in ability.
- Figures come from censuses and surveys of differing years and methods and are approximate UNESCO-style estimates rounded for reference.