|
| Indicators on literacy |
Last update: Dec 2007 |
Country or area |
Year |
|
|
|
| Afghanistan |
2000 |
|
28 |
43 |
13 |
|
34 |
51 |
18 |
| Albania |
2001 |
|
99 |
99 |
98 |
|
99 |
99 |
99 |
| Algeria |
2002 |
|
70 |
80 |
60 |
|
90 |
94 |
86 |
| Angola |
2001 |
|
67 |
83 |
54 |
|
72 |
84 |
63 |
| Argentina |
2001 |
|
97 |
97 |
97 |
|
99 |
99 |
99 |
| Armenia |
2001 |
|
99 |
100 |
99 |
|
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Aruba |
2000 |
|
97 |
98 |
97 |
|
99 |
99 |
99 |
| Azerbaijan |
1999 |
|
99 |
99 |
98 |
|
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Bahrain |
2001 |
|
87 |
89 |
84 |
|
97 |
97 |
97 |
| Bangladesh |
2001 |
|
47 |
54 |
41 |
|
64 |
67 |
60 |
| Belarus |
1999 |
|
100 |
100 |
99 |
|
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Benin |
2002 |
|
35 |
48 |
23 |
|
45 |
59 |
33 |
| Bolivia |
2001 |
|
87 |
93 |
81 |
|
97 |
99 |
96 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina |
2000 |
|
97 |
99 |
94 |
|
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Botswana |
2003 |
|
81 |
80 |
82 |
|
94 |
92 |
96 |
| Brazil |
2004 |
|
89 |
88 |
89 |
|
97 |
96 |
98 |
| Brunei Darussalam |
2001 |
|
93 |
95 |
90 |
|
99 |
99 |
99 |
| Bulgaria |
2001 |
|
98 |
99 |
98 |
|
98 |
98 |
98 |
| Burkina Faso |
2005 |
|
24 |
31 |
17 |
|
33 |
40 |
26 |
| Burundi |
2000 |
|
59 |
67 |
52 |
|
73 |
77 |
70 |
| Cambodia |
2004 |
|
74 |
85 |
64 |
|
83 |
88 |
79 |
| Cameroon |
2001 |
|
68 |
77 |
60 |
|
… |
… |
… |
| Cape Verde |
2004 |
a |
81 |
88 |
76 |
|
96 |
96 |
97 |
| Central African Republic |
2000 |
|
49 |
65 |
33 |
|
59 |
70 |
47 |
| Chad |
2000 |
|
26 |
41 |
13 |
|
38 |
56 |
23 |
| Chile |
2002 |
|
96 |
96 |
96 |
|
99 |
99 |
99 |
| China |
2000 |
|
91 |
95 |
87 |
|
99 |
99 |
99 |
| Colombia |
2005 |
|
93 |
93 |
93 |
|
98 |
98 |
98 |
| Congo |
2004 |
a |
85 |
91 |
79 |
|
97 |
98 |
97 |
| Cook Islands |
1996 |
c |
... |
... |
... |
|
93 |
... |
... |
| Costa Rica |
2000 |
|
95 |
95 |
95 |
|
98 |
97 |
98 |
| Côte d'Ivoire |
2000 |
|
49 |
61 |
39 |
|
61 |
71 |
52 |
| Croatia |
2001 |
|
98 |
99 |
97 |
|
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Cuba |
2002 |
|
100 |
100 |
100 |
|
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Cyprus |
2001 |
|
97 |
99 |
95 |
|
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo |
2001 |
|
67 |
81 |
54 |
|
70 |
78 |
63 |
| Dominican Republic |
2002 |
|
87 |
87 |
87 |
|
94 |
93 |
95 |
| Ecuador |
2001 |
|
91 |
92 |
90 |
|
96 |
96 |
96 |
| Egypt |
2005 |
|
71 |
83 |
59 |
|
85 |
90 |
79 |
| El Salvador |
2004 |
a |
81 |
82 |
79 |
|
88 |
87 |
90 |
| Equatorial Guinea |
2000 |
|
87 |
93 |
80 |
|
95 |
95 |
95 |
| Estonia |
2000 |
|
100 |
100 |
100 |
|
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Ethiopia |
2004 |
|
36 |
50 |
23 |
|
50 |
62 |
39 |
| Fiji |
1996 |
c |
... |
... |
... |
|
93 |
... |
... |
| Gabon |
2004 |
a |
84 |
88 |
80 |
|
96 |
97 |
95 |
| Ghana |
2000 |
|
58 |
66 |
50 |
|
71 |
76 |
65 |
| Greece |
2001 |
|
96 |
98 |
94 |
|
99 |
99 |
99 |
| Guatemala |
2002 |
|
69 |
75 |
63 |
|
82 |
86 |
78 |
| Guinea |
2003 |
|
29 |
43 |
18 |
|
47 |
59 |
34 |
| Honduras |
2001 |
|
80 |
80 |
80 |
|
89 |
87 |
91 |
| India |
2001 |
|
61 |
73 |
48 |
|
76 |
84 |
68 |
| Indonesia |
2004 |
|
90 |
94 |
87 |
|
99 |
99 |
99 |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of |
2005 |
|
82 |
88 |
77 |
|
97 |
98 |
97 |
| Iraq |
2000 |
|
74 |
84 |
64 |
|
85 |
89 |
80 |
| Italy |
2001 |
|
98 |
99 |
98 |
|
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Jamaica |
1999 |
|
80 |
74 |
86 |
|
… |
… |
… |
| Jordan |
2005 |
|
91 |
95 |
87 |
|
99 |
99 |
99 |
| Kazakhstan |
1999 |
|
100 |
100 |
99 |
|
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Kenya |
2000 |
|
74 |
78 |
70 |
|
80 |
80 |
81 |
| Kiribati |
1990 |
c |
... |
... |
... |
|
92 |
... |
... |
| Kuwait |
2005 |
|
93 |
94 |
91 |
|
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Kyrgyzstan |
1999 |
|
99 |
99 |
98 |
|
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Lao People's Democratic Republic |
2001 |
|
69 |
77 |
61 |
|
78 |
83 |
75 |
| Latvia |
2000 |
|
100 |
100 |
100 |
|
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Lesotho |
2001 |
|
82 |
74 |
90 |
|
… |
… |
… |
| Liberia |
2004 |
a |
52 |
58 |
46 |
|
67 |
65 |
69 |
| Libyan Arab Jamahiriya |
2004 |
a |
84 |
93 |
75 |
|
98 |
100 |
96 |
| Lithuania |
2001 |
|
100 |
100 |
100 |
|
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Macao, China |
2001 |
|
91 |
95 |
88 |
|
100 |
99 |
100 |
| Madagascar |
2000 |
|
71 |
77 |
65 |
|
70 |
73 |
68 |
| Malaysia |
2000 |
|
89 |
92 |
85 |
|
97 |
97 |
97 |
| Maldives |
2000 |
|
96 |
96 |
96 |
|
98 |
98 |
98 |
| Mali |
2003 |
|
24 |
33 |
16 |
|
… |
… |
… |
| Marshall Islands |
1989 |
c |
... |
... |
... |
|
74 |
... |
... |
| Mauritania |
2000 |
|
51 |
60 |
43 |
|
61 |
68 |
55 |
| Mauritius |
2000 |
|
84 |
88 |
81 |
|
95 |
94 |
95 |
| Mexico |
2005 |
|
92 |
93 |
90 |
|
… |
98 |
98 |
| Micronesia (Federated States of) |
1994 |
c |
... |
... |
... |
|
71 |
... |
... |
| Mongolia |
2000 |
|
98 |
98 |
98 |
|
98 |
97 |
98 |
| Montenegro |
2002 |
b |
96 |
99 |
94 |
|
99 |
99 |
99 |
| Morocco |
2004 |
|
52 |
66 |
40 |
|
70 |
81 |
60 |
| Myanmar |
2000 |
|
90 |
94 |
86 |
|
95 |
96 |
93 |
| Namibia |
2001 |
|
85 |
87 |
83 |
|
92 |
91 |
93 |
| Nepal |
2001 |
|
49 |
63 |
35 |
|
70 |
81 |
60 |
| Netherlands Antilles |
2004 |
a |
96 |
96 |
96 |
|
… |
98 |
98 |
| Nicaragua |
2001 |
|
77 |
77 |
77 |
|
… |
84 |
89 |
| Niger |
2005 |
|
29 |
43 |
15 |
|
37 |
52 |
23 |
| Nigeria |
2004 |
a |
69 |
78 |
60 |
|
84 |
87 |
81 |
| Niue |
2001 |
c |
... |
... |
... |
|
95 |
... |
... |
| Oman |
2003 |
|
81 |
87 |
74 |
|
97 |
98 |
97 |
| Pakistan |
2005 |
|
50 |
64 |
35 |
|
65 |
77 |
53 |
| Palau |
1995 |
c |
... |
... |
... |
|
91 |
... |
... |
| Palestinian Autonomous Territories |
2004 |
|
92 |
97 |
88 |
|
99 |
99 |
99 |
| Panama |
2000 |
|
92 |
93 |
91 |
|
96 |
97 |
96 |
| Papua New Guinea |
2000 |
|
57 |
63 |
51 |
|
67 |
69 |
64 |
| Paraguay |
2004 |
a |
93 |
94 |
93 |
|
96 |
96 |
96 |
| Peru |
2005 |
|
88 |
94 |
82 |
|
97 |
98 |
96 |
| Philippines |
2003 |
|
93 |
92 |
94 |
|
95 |
94 |
97 |
| Portugal |
2004 |
a |
94 |
96 |
92 |
|
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Qatar |
2004 |
|
89 |
89 |
89 |
|
96 |
95 |
98 |
| Republic of Moldova |
2004 |
a |
99 |
100 |
99 |
|
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Romania |
2002 |
|
97 |
98 |
96 |
|
98 |
98 |
98 |
| Russian Federation |
2002 |
|
99 |
100 |
99 |
|
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Rwanda |
2000 |
|
65 |
71 |
60 |
|
78 |
79 |
77 |
| Samoa |
2004 |
a |
99 |
99 |
98 |
|
99 |
99 |
99 |
| Sao Tome and Principe |
2001 |
|
85 |
92 |
78 |
|
95 |
96 |
95 |
| Saudi Arabia |
2004 |
|
83 |
88 |
76 |
|
96 |
97 |
95 |
| Senegal |
2002 |
|
39 |
51 |
29 |
|
49 |
58 |
41 |
| Serbia |
2002 |
b |
96 |
99 |
94 |
|
99 |
99 |
99 |
| Seychelles |
2002 |
|
92 |
91 |
92 |
|
99 |
99 |
99 |
| Sierra Leone |
2004 |
|
35 |
47 |
24 |
|
48 |
60 |
37 |
| Slovenia |
2004 |
a |
100 |
100 |
100 |
|
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Solomon Islands |
1991 |
c |
... |
... |
... |
|
62 |
... |
... |
| Sri Lanka |
2001 |
|
91 |
92 |
89 |
|
96 |
95 |
96 |
| Sudan |
2000 |
|
61 |
71 |
52 |
|
77 |
85 |
71 |
| Suriname |
2004 |
|
90 |
92 |
87 |
|
95 |
96 |
94 |
| Swaziland |
2000 |
|
80 |
81 |
78 |
|
88 |
87 |
90 |
| Syrian Arab Republic |
2004 |
|
81 |
88 |
74 |
|
92 |
95 |
90 |
| Tajikistan |
2000 |
|
99 |
100 |
99 |
|
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Thailand |
2000 |
|
93 |
95 |
91 |
|
98 |
98 |
98 |
| The former Yugoslav Rep. of Macedonia |
2002 |
|
96 |
98 |
94 |
|
99 |
99 |
98 |
| Togo |
2000 |
|
53 |
69 |
38 |
|
74 |
84 |
64 |
| Tokelau |
2003 |
c |
... |
... |
... |
|
87 |
... |
... |
| Tonga |
1996 |
c |
... |
... |
... |
|
99 |
... |
... |
| Trinidad and Tobago |
2004 |
a |
98 |
99 |
98 |
|
99 |
99 |
99 |
| Tunisia |
2004 |
|
74 |
83 |
65 |
|
94 |
96 |
92 |
| Turkey |
2004 |
|
87 |
95 |
80 |
|
96 |
98 |
93 |
| Tuvalu |
1991 |
c |
... |
... |
... |
|
95 |
... |
... |
| Uganda |
2002 |
|
67 |
77 |
58 |
|
77 |
83 |
71 |
| Ukraine |
2001 |
|
99 |
100 |
99 |
|
100 |
100 |
100 |
| United Arab Emirates |
2004 |
a |
89 |
89 |
88 |
|
97 |
98 |
95 |
| United Republic of Tanzania |
2002 |
|
69 |
78 |
62 |
|
78 |
81 |
76 |
| Vanuatu |
1999 |
|
74 |
… |
… |
|
… |
… |
… |
| Venezuela |
2001 |
|
93 |
93 |
93 |
|
97 |
96 |
98 |
| Viet Nam |
1999 |
|
90 |
94 |
87 |
|
94 |
94 |
94 |
| Yemen |
2004 |
a |
54 |
73 |
35 |
|
75 |
91 |
59 |
| Zambia |
1999 |
|
68 |
76 |
60 |
|
69 |
73 |
66 |
| Zimbabwe |
2004 |
a |
89 |
93 |
86 |
|
98 |
97 |
98 |
Sources:
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, National literacy rates for youths (15-24) and adults (15+), available from UIS website, http://www.uis.unesco.org (accessed October 2007), supplemented by data compiled by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), available from the SPC website http://www.spc.int/prism/mdg/educationsummary.html.
Footnotes:
b |
Data refer to Serbia and Montenegro |
c |
Data published by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community. |
Top
Technical notes:
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defines a literate person as someone who can both read and write with understanding, a short, simple statement on his or her everyday life. A person who can only read but not write, or can write but not read is considered to be illiterate. A person who can only write figures, his or her name or a memorized ritual phrase is also not considered literate.
This definition of literacy is widely used in national population censuses and surveys but its interpretation and application may vary to some extent among countries, depending on national, social and cultural circumstances. Furthermore, this concept of literacy includes persons who, though familiar with the basics of reading and writing, might still be considered functionally illiterate.
For many countries or areas, literacy rates are not available for one or more of the following reasons: (a) illiteracy is believed to have been reduced to minimal levels through several decades of universal primary education, (b) it has not been possible to establish revised estimates following recent mass literacy campaigns, (c) not even a minimal database is available for making rough estimates, or (d) countries have preferred that no estimate be published.
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