Please wait...
Download data

Adult literacy rate, both sexes (% aged 15 and above)

Percentage of the population ages 15 and older who can, with understanding, both read and write a short simple statement on their everyday life.

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2011). http://stats.uis.unesco.org

Data in the tables are those available to the Human Development Report Office as of 15 May 2011, unless otherwise specified.

HDI Rank Country 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
.. Very high human development 94.7 75.0 89.1 87.9 96.2 97.1 .. 97.8 97.8 98.2
.. High human development 75.0 77.2 85.2 78.4 87.7 88.6 89.0 91.0 90.0 95.5
.. Medium human development 74.6 92.2 78.8 79.3 90.6 82.4 68.3 88.8 89.3 92.6
.. Low human development 27.6 .. 53.4 .. 70.1 42.3 53.9 52.5 55.5 64.8
1 Norway .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
2 Australia .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
3 Netherlands .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
4 United States .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
5 New Zealand .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
6 Canada .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
7 Ireland .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
8 Liechtenstein .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
9 Germany .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
10 Sweden .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
11 Switzerland .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
12 Japan .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
13 Hong Kong, China (SAR) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
14 Iceland .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
15 Korea (Republic of) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
16 Denmark .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
17 Israel .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
18 Belgium .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
19 Austria .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
20 France .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
21 Slovenia .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 99.7
22 Finland .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
23 Spain .. .. .. .. .. 97.8 .. 97.9 97.6 97.7
24 Italy .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 98.9
25 Luxembourg .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
26 Singapore 82.9 .. 89.1 .. 92.5 .. .. .. .. 94.7
27 Czech Republic .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
28 United Kingdom .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
29 Greece .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 97.2
30 United Arab Emirates .. 71.2 .. .. .. 90.0 .. .. .. ..
31 Cyprus .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 97.9
32 Andorra .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
33 Brunei Darussalam .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 95.3
34 Estonia .. .. .. .. 99.8 .. .. .. .. 99.8
35 Slovakia .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
36 Malta .. 88.0 .. 87.9 .. 92.4 .. .. .. ..
37 Qatar .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 93.1 94.0 94.7
38 Hungary 98.9 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 99.4
39 Poland .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 99.5
40 Lithuania .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 99.7
41 Portugal .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 94.9
42 Bahrain .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 91.4
43 Latvia .. .. .. .. 99.7 .. .. .. .. 99.8
44 Chile .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 98.6 98.6
45 Argentina 93.9 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 97.7
46 Croatia .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 98.8
47 Barbados .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
48 Uruguay .. 95.4 .. .. .. .. 97.8 97.9 98.2 98.3
49 Palau 91.9 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
50 Romania .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 97.7
51 Cuba .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 99.8
52 Seychelles .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 91.8
53 Bahamas .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
54 Montenegro .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
55 Bulgaria .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 98.3
56 Saudi Arabia .. .. .. .. 79.4 .. .. .. .. 86.1
57 Mexico 83.0 .. 87.6 .. 90.5 91.6 91.7 92.8 92.9 93.4
58 Panama 88.1 .. 88.8 .. 91.9 .. .. .. .. 93.6
59 Serbia .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 97.8
60 Antigua and Barbuda .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 99.0
61 Malaysia 69.5 .. .. .. 88.7 .. .. .. .. 92.5
62 Trinidad and Tobago 95.0 .. 96.9 .. .. .. .. .. .. 98.7
63 Kuwait 67.5 74.5 .. 78.4 .. 93.3 93.3 94.5 93.9 ..
64 Libyan Arab Jamahiriya .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 88.9
65 Belarus .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 99.7
66 Russian Federation .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 99.6
67 Grenada .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
68 Kazakhstan .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 99.7
69 Costa Rica .. .. .. .. 94.9 .. .. .. .. 96.1
70 Albania .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 95.9 ..
71 Lebanon .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 89.6 .. ..
72 Saint Kitts and Nevis .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
73 Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) .. .. 89.8 .. .. .. .. 95.2 .. ..
74 Bosnia and Herzegovina .. .. .. .. 96.7 .. .. .. .. 97.8
75 Georgia .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 99.7
76 Ukraine .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 99.7
77 Mauritius .. .. 79.9 .. 84.3 .. .. .. .. 87.9
78 The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 97.1
79 Jamaica .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 86.4
80 Peru .. .. .. .. .. 87.9 88.7 89.6 .. ..
81 Dominica .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
82 Saint Lucia .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
83 Ecuador .. .. 88.3 .. .. .. .. 84.2 .. 84.2
84 Brazil 74.6 .. .. .. 86.4 .. 89.6 90.0 90.0 ..
85 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
86 Armenia .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 99.5
87 Colombia .. .. .. .. .. 92.8 92.3 92.7 93.4 93.2
88 Iran (Islamic Republic of) .. .. .. .. .. 82.4 82.3 .. 85.0 ..
89 Oman .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 86.6 ..
90 Tonga .. .. .. .. .. .. 99.0 .. .. ..
91 Azerbaijan .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 99.5 .. ..
92 Turkey 65.7 76.0 79.2 .. .. 88.2 88.1 88.7 .. 90.8
93 Belize .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
94 Tunisia .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 77.6 ..
95 Jordan .. .. .. .. .. 91.1 .. 92.2 .. ..
96 Algeria .. .. .. .. .. .. 72.6 .. .. ..
97 Sri Lanka .. .. .. .. .. .. 90.8 .. 90.6 ..
98 Dominican Republic .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 88.2 .. ..
99 Samoa .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 98.8
100 Fiji .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
101 China .. .. 77.8 .. 90.9 .. .. .. .. 94.0
102 Turkmenistan .. .. .. 98.8 .. .. .. .. .. 99.6
103 Thailand 88.0 .. .. .. 92.6 93.5 .. .. .. ..
104 Suriname .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 94.6 ..
105 El Salvador .. .. .. .. .. .. 83.6 82.0 84.0 84.1
106 Gabon .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 87.7
107 Paraguay .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 94.6 .. ..
108 Bolivia (Plurinational State of) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 90.7 90.7 ..
109 Maldives .. 92.2 96.0 96.3 96.3 .. 98.4 .. .. ..
110 Mongolia .. .. .. .. 97.8 .. .. .. .. 97.5
111 Moldova (Republic of) .. .. .. .. 96.7 .. .. .. .. 98.5
112 Philippines 83.3 .. 93.6 .. 92.6 .. .. .. 95.4 ..
113 Egypt .. .. .. .. .. 71.4 66.4 .. .. ..
114 Occupied Palestinian Territory .. .. .. .. .. .. 93.4 93.9 94.1 94.6
115 Uzbekistan .. .. .. .. 98.6 .. .. .. .. 99.3
116 Micronesia (Federated States of) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
117 Guyana .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
118 Botswana .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 84.1
119 Syrian Arab Republic .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 84.2
120 Namibia .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 88.5
121 Honduras .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 83.6 .. ..
122 Kiribati .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
123 South Africa 76.2 .. .. .. .. .. .. 88.7 .. ..
124 Indonesia 67.3 .. 81.5 .. .. .. 92.0 .. 92.2 ..
125 Vanuatu .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 82.0
126 Kyrgyzstan .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 99.2
127 Tajikistan .. .. .. .. 99.5 .. .. .. .. 99.7
128 Viet Nam .. .. .. .. 90.2 .. .. .. .. 92.8
129 Nicaragua .. .. .. .. .. 78.0 .. .. .. ..
130 Morocco .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 55.1 56.1
131 Guatemala .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 74.5
132 Iraq .. .. .. .. 74.1 .. .. .. .. 78.1
133 Cape Verde .. .. 62.8 .. .. .. .. .. .. 84.8
134 India .. .. .. .. .. .. 62.8 .. .. ..
135 Ghana .. .. .. .. 57.9 .. .. .. .. 66.6
136 Equatorial Guinea .. .. .. .. 88.3 .. .. .. .. 93.3
137 Congo .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
138 Lao People's Democratic Republic .. .. .. 60.3 69.6 72.7 .. .. .. ..
139 Cambodia .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 77.6 ..
140 Swaziland .. .. .. .. 81.7 .. .. .. .. 86.9
141 Bhutan .. .. .. .. .. 52.8 .. .. .. ..
142 Solomon Islands .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
143 Kenya .. .. .. .. 82.2 .. .. .. .. 87.0
144 Sao Tome and Principe .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 88.8
145 Pakistan .. .. .. .. .. 49.9 54.2 .. 55.5 ..
146 Bangladesh .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 55.9
147 Timor-Leste .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 50.6 .. ..
148 Angola .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 70.0
149 Myanmar .. .. .. .. 89.9 .. .. .. .. 92.0
150 Cameroon .. .. .. .. 68.4 .. .. 70.7 .. ..
151 Madagascar .. .. .. .. 70.7 .. .. .. .. 64.5
152 Tanzania (United Republic of) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 72.9
153 Papua New Guinea .. .. .. .. 57.3 .. .. .. .. 60.1
154 Yemen .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 62.4
155 Senegal .. .. .. .. .. .. 41.9 .. .. 49.7
156 Nigeria .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 60.8
157 Nepal .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 59.1
158 Haiti .. .. .. .. .. .. 48.7 .. .. ..
159 Mauritania .. .. .. .. 51.2 .. .. .. .. 57.5
160 Lesotho .. .. .. .. 86.3 .. .. .. .. 89.7
161 Uganda .. .. .. .. .. .. 71.4 .. .. ..
162 Togo .. .. .. .. 53.2 .. 56.9 .. .. ..
163 Comoros 47.9 .. .. .. 68.5 .. .. .. .. 74.2
164 Zambia .. .. 65.0 .. .. .. .. .. .. 70.9
165 Djibouti .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
166 Rwanda .. .. .. .. 64.9 .. .. .. .. 70.7
167 Benin .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 41.7
168 Gambia .. .. .. .. 36.8 .. .. .. .. 46.5
169 Sudan* .. .. .. .. 61.3 .. .. .. .. 70.2
170 Côte d'Ivoire .. .. .. .. 48.7 .. .. .. .. 55.3
171 Malawi .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 73.7
172 Afghanistan .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
173 Zimbabwe .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 91.9
174 Ethiopia .. .. .. .. .. 29.8 .. .. .. ..
175 Mali .. .. .. .. .. .. 26.2 .. .. ..
176 Guinea-Bissau .. .. .. .. 41.4 .. .. .. .. 52.2
177 Eritrea .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 66.6
178 Guinea .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 39.5
179 Central African Republic .. .. .. .. 50.6 .. .. .. .. 55.2
180 Sierra Leone .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 40.9
181 Burkina Faso .. .. .. .. .. 23.6 .. 28.7 .. ..
182 Liberia .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 59.1
183 Chad .. .. .. .. 25.7 .. .. .. .. 33.6
184 Mozambique 27.1 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 55.1
185 Burundi .. .. 37.4 .. 59.3 .. .. .. .. 66.6
186 Niger .. .. .. .. .. 28.7 .. .. .. ..
187 Congo (Democratic Republic of the) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 66.8
.. Tuvalu .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
.. Somalia .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
.. San Marino .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
.. Nauru .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
.. Monaco .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
.. Marshall Islands .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
.. Korea (Democratic People's Rep. of) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 100.0 ..
Footnotes
Symbols
.. Data not available
(.) Greater (or less) than zero but small enough to be rounded off to zero at the displayed number of decimal points
< Less than
- Not applicable
T Total

Back to top

2011 Report