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This entry includes a definition of literacy and UNESCO's percentage estimates for populations aged 15 years and over, including total population, males, and females. There are no universal definitions and standards of literacy. Unless otherwise specified, all rates are based on the most common definition - the ability to read and write at a specified age. Detailing the standards that individual countries use to assess the ability to read and write is beyond the scope of the Factbook. Information on literacy, while not a perfect measure of educational results, is probably the most easily available and valid for international comparisons. Low levels of literacy, and education in general, can impede the economic development of a country in the current rapidly changing, technology-driven world.

Afghanistan

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 37.3%

male: 52.1%

female: 22.6% (2021)

Albania

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.4%

male: 98.7%

female: 98.2% (2021)

Algeria

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 81.4%

male: 87.4%

female: 75.3% (2018)

American Samoa

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Andorra

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100% (2016)

Angola

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 71.1%

male: 82.6%

female: 62.4% (2015)

Anguilla

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Antigua and Barbuda

definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling

total population: 99%

male: 98.4%

female: 99.4% (2015)

Argentina

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 98.9%

female: 99.1% (2018)

Armenia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.8%

male: 99.8%

female: 99.7% (2020)

Aruba

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.8%

male: 97.8%

female: 97.8% (2018)

Australia

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Austria

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Azerbaijan

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.8%

male: 99.9%

female: 99.7% (2019)

Bahamas, The

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Bahrain

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.5%

male: 99.9%

female: 94.9% (2018)

Bangladesh

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 74.9%

male: 77.8%

female: 72% (2020)

Barbados

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.6%

male: 99.6%

female: 99.6% (2014)

Belarus

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.9%

male: 99.9%

female: 99.9% (2019)

Belgium

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Belize

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Benin

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 45.8%

male: 56.9%

female: 35% (2021)

Bermuda

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Bhutan

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 70.9%

male: 77.9%

female: 62.8% (2021)

Bolivia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.5%

male: 96.5%

female: 88.6% (2015)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.1%

male: 99.4%

female: 98.1% (2021)

Botswana

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 88.5%

male: 88%

female: 88.9% (2015)

Brazil

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 94.7%

male: 94.4%

female: 94.9% (2022)

British Virgin Islands

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Brunei

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.6%

male: 98.3%

female: 96.9% (2021)

Bulgaria

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.4%

male: 98.7%

female: 98.2% (2021)

Burkina Faso

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 46%

male: 54.5%

female: 37.8% (2021)

Burma

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 89.1%

male: 92.4%

female: 86.3% (2019)

note: most public schools were closed immediately after the coup in 2021, and attendance remained low since schools reopened; literacy is expected to decline from 2019 to 2023

Burundi

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 74.7%

male: 81.3%

female: 68.4% (2021)

Cabo Verde

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 90.8%

male: 94.2%

female: 87.4% (2021)

Cambodia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 83.9%

male: 88.4%

female: 79.8% (2021)

Cameroon

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 77.1%

male: 82.6%

female: 71.6% (2018)

Canada

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Cayman Islands

total population: 98.9% NA

male: 98.7% NA

female: 99% (2021) NA

Central African Republic

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 37.5%

male: 49.2%

female: 26.2% (2020)

Chad

definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic

total population: 26.8%

male: 35.4%

female: 18.2% (2021)

Chile

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97%

male: 97.1%

female: 97% (2021)

China

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.8%

male: 98.5%

female: 95.2% (2018)

Colombia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 95.6%

male: 95.4%

female: 95.9% (2020)

Comoros

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 62%

male: 67%

female: 56.9% (2021)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

definition: age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba

total population: 80%

male: 89.5%

female: 70.8% (2021)

Congo, Republic of the

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 80.6%

male: 85.9%

female: 75.4% (2021)

Cook Islands

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Costa Rica

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98%

male: 98%

female: 98.1% (2021)

Cote d'Ivoire

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 89.9%

male: 93.1%

female: 86.7% (2019)

Croatia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.4%

male: 99.7%

female: 99.2% (2021)

Cuba

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.7%

male: 99.6%

female: 99.7% (2021)

Cyprus

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.4%

male: 99.6%

female: 99.2% (2021)

Czechia

definition: NA

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2011)

Denmark

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Djibouti

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Dominica

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Dominican Republic

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 95.2%

male: 95.1%

female: 95.3% (2021)

Ecuador

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 94.5%

male: 94.9%

female: 94% (2021)

Egypt

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 73.1%

male: 78.8%

female: 67.4% (2021)

El Salvador

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 89.1%

male: 91.3%

female: 87.3% (2019)

Equatorial Guinea

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 95.3%

male: 97.4%

female: 93% (2015)

Eritrea

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 76.6%

male: 84.4%

female: 68.9% (2018)

Estonia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.9%

male: 99.9%

female: 99.9% (2021)

Eswatini

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 88.4%

male: 88.3%

female: 88.5% (2018)

Ethiopia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 51.8%

male: 57.2%

female: 44.4% (2017)

European Union

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Faroe Islands

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Fiji

total population: 99.1%

male: 99.1%

female: 99.1% (2018)

Finland

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

France

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

French Polynesia

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Gabon

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 85.5%

male: 86.2%

female: 84.7% (2021)

Gambia, The

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 58.1%

male: 65.2%

female: 51.2% (2021)

Gaza Strip

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.5%

male: 98.8%

female: 96.2% (2020)

note: estimates are for Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Georgia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.6%

male: 99.7%

female: 99.5% (2019)

Germany

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Ghana

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 79%

male: 83.5%

female: 74.5% (2018)

Gibraltar

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Greece

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.9%

male: 98.5%

female: 97.4% (2018)

Greenland

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100% (2015)

Grenada

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.6%

male: 98.6%

female: 98.6% (2014 est.)

Guam

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Guatemala

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 83.3%

male: 87.7%

female: 79.3% (2021)

Guernsey

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Guinea

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 45.3%

male: 61.2%

female: 31.3% (2021)

Guinea-Bissau

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 52.9%

male: 67%

female: 39.9% (2021)

Guyana

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 88.8%

male: 89.3%

female: 88.4% (2021)

Haiti

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 61.7%

male: 65.3%

female: 58.3% (2016)

Holy See (Vatican City)

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Honduras

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 88.5%

male: 88.2%

female: 88.7% (2019)

Hong Kong

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Hungary

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.1%

male: 99.1%

female: 99.1% (2021)

Iceland

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

India

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 74.4%

male: 82.4%

female: 65.8% (2018)

Indonesia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96%

male: 97.4%

female: 94.6% (2020)

Iran

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 88.7%

male: 92.4%

female: 88.7% (2021)

Iraq

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 85.6%

male: 91.2%

female: 79.9% (2017)

Ireland

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Isle of Man

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Israel

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.8%

male: 98.7%

female: 96.8% (2011)

Italy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.2%

male: 99.4%

female: 99% (2018)

Jamaica

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 88.7%

male: 84%

female: 93.1% (2015)

Japan

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Jersey

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Jordan

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.4%

male: 98.7%

female: 98.4% (2021)

Kazakhstan

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.8%

male: 99.8%

female: 99.7% (2018)

Kenya

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 82.6%

male: 85.5%

female: 79.8% (2021)

Kiribati

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Korea, North

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100% (2015)

Korea, South

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Kuwait

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.5%

male: 97.1%

female: 95.4% (2020)

Kyrgyzstan

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.6%

male: 99.7%

female: 99.5% (2018)

Laos

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 87.1%

male: 91.4%

female: 81.4% (2021)

Latvia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.9%

male: 99.9%

female: 99.9% (2021)

Lebanon

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 95.1%

male: 96.9%

female: 93.3% (2018)

Lesotho

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 81%

male: 72.9%

female: 88.8% (2021)

Liberia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 48.3%

male: 62.7%

female: 34.1% (2017)

Libya

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 91%

male: 96.7%

female: 85.6% (2015)

Liechtenstein

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Lithuania

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.8%

male: 99.8%

female: 99.8% (2021)

Luxembourg

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Macau

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.1%

male: 98.5%

female: 95.9% (2021)

Madagascar

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 77.3%

male: 78.8%

female: 75.8% (2021)

Malawi

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 67.3%

male: 71.2%

female: 63.7% (2021)

Malaysia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 95%

male: 96.2%

female: 93.6% (2019)

Maldives

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.9%

male: 97.6%

female: 98.4% (2021)

Mali

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 35.5%

male: 46.2%

female: 25.7% (2018)

Malta

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 94.9%

male: 93.4%

female: 96.4% (2021)

Marshall Islands

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.3%

male: 98.3%

female: 98.2% (2011)

Mauritania

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 67%

male: 71.8%

female: 62.2% (2021)

Mauritius

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.2%

male: 93.5%

female: 90.5% (2021)

Mexico

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 95.2%

male: 96.1%

female: 94.5% (2020)

Micronesia, Federated States of

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Moldova

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.6%

male: 99.7%

female: 99.5% (2021)

Monaco

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Mongolia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.2%

male: 99.1%

female: 99.2% (2020)

Montenegro

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99.4%

female: 98.5% (2021)

Montserrat

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Morocco

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 75.9%

male: 84.8%

female: 67.4% (2021)

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara

Mozambique

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 63.4%

male: 74.1%

female: 53.8% (2021)

Namibia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.3%

male: 90.6%

female: 92.3% (2021)

Nauru

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Nepal

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 71.2%

male: 81%

female: 63.3% (2021)

Netherlands

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

New Caledonia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.9%

male: 97.3%

female: 96.5% (2015)

New Zealand

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Nicaragua

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 82.6%

male: 82.4%

female: 82.8% (2015)

Niger

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 37.3%

male: 45.8%

female: 29% (2018)

Nigeria

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 62%

male: 71.3%

female: 52.7% (2018)

Niue

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Norfolk Island

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

North Macedonia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.4%

male: 99.1%

female: 97.6% (2020)

Northern Mariana Islands

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Norway

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Oman

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 95.7%

male: 97%

female: 92.7% (2018)

Pakistan

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 58%

male: 69.3%

female: 46.5% (2019)

Palau

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.6%

male: 96.8%

female: 96.3% (2015)

Panama

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 95.7%

male: 98.8%

female: 95.4% (2019)

Papua New Guinea

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 64.2%

male: 65.6%

female: 62.8% (2015)

Paraguay

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 94.5%

male: 94.9%

female: 94.2% (2020)

Peru

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 94.5%

male: 97%

female: 92% (2020)

Philippines

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.3%

male: 95.7%

female: 96.9% (2019)

Pitcairn Islands

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Poland

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.8%

male: 99.8%

female: 99.8% (2021)

Portugal

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 95.9%

male: 97.8%

female: 95.9% (2021)

Puerto Rico

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.4%

male: 92.4%

female: 92.4% (2021)

Qatar

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 93.5%

male: 92.4%

female: 94.7% (2017)

Romania

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.9%

male: 99.1%

female: 98.7% (2021)

Russia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.7%

male: 99.7%

female: 99.7% (2018)

Rwanda

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 75.9%

male: 78.7%

female: 73.3% (2021)

Saint Barthelemy

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Saint Lucia

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Saint Martin

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Samoa

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.1%

male: 99%

female: 99.3% (2021)

San Marino

total population: 99.9%

male: 99.9%

female: 99.9% (2018)

Sao Tome and Principe

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 94.8%

male: 96.5%

female: 91.1% (2021)

Saudi Arabia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.6%

male: 98.6%

female: 96% (2020)

Senegal

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 56.3%

male: 68.4%

female: 45.4% (2021)

Serbia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.5%

male: 99.9%

female: 99.1% (2019)

Seychelles

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 95.9%

male: 95.4%

female: 96.4% (2018)

Sierra Leone

definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic

total population: 48.6%

male: 56.3%

female: 41.3% (2022)

Singapore

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.5%

male: 98.9%

female: 96.1% (2019)

Sint Maarten

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Slovakia

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Slovenia

definition: NA

total population: 99.7%

male: 99.7%

female: 99.7% (2015)

Solomon Islands

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Somalia

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

South Africa

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 95%

male: 95.5%

female: 94.5% (2019)

South Sudan

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 34.5%

male: 40.3%

female: 28.9% (2018)

Spain

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.6%

male: 99%

female: 98.2% (2020)

Sri Lanka

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.3%

male: 93%

female: 91.6% (2019)

Sudan

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 60.7%

male: 65.4%

female: 56.1% (2018)

Suriname

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 95%

male: 96.5%

female: 93.4% (2021)

Svalbard

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Sweden

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Switzerland

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Syria

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 86.4%

male: 91.7%

female: 81% (2015)

Taiwan

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.5%

male: 99.7%

female: 97.3% (2014)

Tajikistan

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.8%

male: 99.8%

female: 99.7% (2015)

Tanzania

definition: age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili), English, or Arabic

total population: 81.8%

male: 85.5%

female: 78.2% (2021)

Thailand

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 94.1%

male: 95.5%

female: 92.8% (2021)

Timor-Leste

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 68.1%

male: 71.9%

female: 64.2% (2018)

Togo

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 66.5%

male: 80%

female: 55.1% (2019)

Tokelau

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Tonga

definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English

total population: 99.4%

male: 99.4%

female: 99.5% (2021)

Trinidad and Tobago

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99.2%

female: 98.7% (2015)

Tunisia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 82.7%

male: 89.1%

female: 82.7% (2021)

Turkey (Turkiye)

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.7%

male: 99.1%

female: 94.4% (2019)

Turkmenistan

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.7%

male: 99.8%

female: 99.6% (2015)

Turks and Caicos Islands

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Tuvalu

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Uganda

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 79%

male: 84%

female: 74.3% (2021)

Ukraine

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100% (2021)

United Arab Emirates

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.1%

male: 98.8%

female: 97.2% (2021)

United Kingdom

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

United States

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Uruguay

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.8%

male: 98.5%

female: 99% (2019)

Uzbekistan

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100% (2019)

Vanuatu

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 89.1%

male: 89.8%

female: 88.4% (2021)

Venezuela

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.5%

male: 97.4%

female: 97.7% (2021)

Vietnam

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 95.8%

male: 97%

female: 94.6% (2019)

Virgin Islands

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Wallis and Futuna

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

West Bank

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.5%

male: 98.8%

female: 96.2% (2020)

note: estimates are for Gaza and the West Bank

World

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 86.7%

male: 90.1%

female: 83.3% (2020)

note: more than three quarters of the world's 750 million illiterate adults are found in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa; of all the illiterate adults in the world, almost two thirds are women (2016)

Yemen

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 70.1%

male: 85.1%

female: 55% (2015)

Zambia

definition: age 15 and over can read and write English

total population: 86.7%

male: 90.6%

female: 83.1% (2018)

Zimbabwe

definition: any person age 15 and above who completed at least grade 3 of primary education

total population: 89.7%

male: 88.3%

female: 90.9% (2021)