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Education Statistics > Literacy > total population (most recent) by country

VIEW DATA:   Totals  
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Showing latest available data. Select another time period:
Rank   Countries  Amount  Date  
= 1     Holy See (Vatican City): 100 %   2008 Time series
= 1     Luxembourg: 100 %   2000 Time series
= 1     Andorra: 100 %   2008 Time series
= 1     Finland: 100 %   2000 Time series
= 1     Liechtenstein: 100 %   2008 Time series
= 1     Georgia: 100 %   2004 Time series
= 1     Norway: 100 %   2008 Time series
= 1     Greenland: 100 %   2001 Time series
= 9     Poland: 99.8 %   2003 Time series
= 9     Latvia: 99.8 %   2003 Time series
= 9     Estonia: 99.8 %   2003 Time series
= 12     Ukraine: 99.7 %   2003 Time series
= 12     Barbados: 99.7 %   2002 Time series
= 12     Samoa: 99.7 %   2003 Time series
= 12     Slovenia: 99.7 %   2008 Time series
= 16     Russia: 99.6 %   2003 Time series
= 16     Slovakia: 99.6 %   2004 Time series
= 16     Belarus: 99.6 %   2003 Time series
= 16     Lithuania: 99.6 %   2003 Time series
# 20     Kazakhstan: 99.5 %   1999 Time series
= 21     Hungary: 99.4 %   2003 Time series
= 21     Tajikistan: 99.4 %   2003 Time series
# 23     Uzbekistan: 99.3 %   2003 Time series
= 24     Moldova: 99.1 %   2005 Time series
= 24     Mongolia: 99.1 %   2003 Time series
= 26     Netherlands: 99 %   2003 Time series
= 26     Canada: 99 %   2003 Time series
= 26     Australia: 99 %   2003 Time series
= 26     New Zealand: 99 %   2003 Time series
= 26     Saint Pierre and Miquelon: 99 %   1982 Time series
= 26     United States: 99 %   2003 Time series
= 26     Switzerland: 99 %   2003 Time series
= 26     Iceland: 99 %   2003 Time series
= 26     Germany: 99 %   2003 Time series
= 26     Japan: 99 %   2002 Time series
= 26     Belgium: 99 %   2003 Time series
= 26     Korea, North: 99 %   2008 Time series
= 26     Denmark: 99 %   2003 Time series
= 26     Ireland: 99 %   2003 Time series
= 26     Monaco: 99 %   2003 Time series
= 26     Czech Republic: 99 %   2003 Time series
= 26     Sweden: 99 %   2003 Time series
= 26     France: 99 %   2003 Time series
= 26     United Kingdom: 99 %   2003 Time series
= 26     Guam: 99 %   1990 Time series
# 46     Tonga: 98.9 %   1999 Time series
= 47     Guyana: 98.8 %   2003 Time series
= 47     Azerbaijan: 98.8 %   2003 Time series
= 47     Turkmenistan: 98.8 %   1999 Time series
# 50     Kyrgyzstan: 98.7 %   1999 Time series
= 51     Armenia: 98.6 %   2003 Time series
= 51     Italy: 98.6 %   2003 Time series
= 51     Trinidad and Tobago: 98.6 %   2003 Time series
= 51     Bulgaria: 98.6 %   2003 Time series
# 55     Croatia: 98.5 %   2003 Time series
# 56     Romania: 98.4 %   2003 Time series
# 57     Korea, South: 98.1 %   2003 Time series
= 58     Uruguay: 98 %   2003 Time series
= 58     Austria: 98 %   2008 Time series
= 58     Cayman Islands: 98 %   1970 Time series
= 58     French Polynesia: 98 %   1977 Time series
= 58     Turks and Caicos Islands: 98 %   1970 Time series
= 58     Bermuda: 98 %   2005 Time series
# 64     Spain: 97.9 %   2003 Time series
= 65     Saint Kitts and Nevis: 97.8 %   2003 Time series
= 65     British Virgin Islands: 97.8 %   1991 Time series
# 67     Martinique: 97.7 %   2003 Time series
# 68     Cyprus: 97.6 %   2003 Time series
# 69     Greece: 97.5 %   2003 Time series
# 70     Aruba: 97.3 %   2000 Time series
= 71     Argentina: 97.1 %   2003 Time series
= 71     Israel: 97.1 %   2004 Time series
= 73     Montserrat: 97 %   1970 Time series
= 73     Cuba: 97 %   2003 Time series
= 73     Northern Mariana Islands: 97 %   1980 Time series
= 73     American Samoa: 97 %   1980 Time series
= 77     Bosnia and Herzegovina: 96.7 %   2000 Time series
= 77     Netherlands Antilles: 96.7 %   2003 Time series
# 79     Serbia and Montenegro: 96.4 %   2003 Time series
= 80     New Caledonia: 96.2 %   1996 Time series
= 80     Chile: 96.2 %   2003 Time series
= 82     Taiwan: 96.1 %   2003 Time series
= 82     Macedonia, Republic of: 96.1 %   2002 Time series
= 84     Costa Rica: 96 %   2003 Time series
= 84     Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: 96 %   1970 Time series
= 84     San Marino: 96 %   0000-00-00 Time series
= 84     Grenada: 96 %   2003 Time series
= 84     Thailand: 96 %   2003 Time series
# 89     Philippines: 95.9 %   2003 Time series
# 90     Bahamas, The: 95.6 %   2003 Time series
= 91     Cook Islands: 95 %   2010 Time series
= 91     Anguilla: 95 %   1984 Time series
= 91     Niue: 95 %   2008 Time series
# 94     Macau: 94.5 %   2003 Time series
= 95     Puerto Rico: 94.1 %   2002 Time series
= 95     Belize: 94.1 %   2003 Time series
= 97     Hong Kong: 94 %   2003 Time series
= 97     Paraguay: 94 %   2003 Time series
= 97     Dominica: 94 %   2003 Time series
= 97     Vietnam: 94 %   2003 Time series
# 101     Maldives: 93.8 %   2006 Time series
= 102     Fiji: 93.7 %   2003 Time series
= 102     Marshall Islands: 93.7 %   1999 Time series
# 104     Venezuela: 93.4 %   2003 Time series
= 105     Portugal: 93.3 %   2003 Time series
= 105     Kuwait: 93.3 %   2005 Time series
# 107     Singapore: 93.2 %   2003 Time series
# 108     Peru: 92.9 %   2007 Time series
# 109     Malta: 92.8 %   2005 Time series
# 110     Panama: 92.6 %   2003 Time series
# 111     Ecuador: 92.5 %   2003 Time series
= 112     Gaza Strip: 92.4 %   2004 Time series
= 112     West Bank: 92.4 %   2004 Time series
# 114     Sri Lanka: 92.3 %   2003 Time series
# 115     Palau: 92 %   1980 Time series
# 116     Seychelles: 91.9 %   2003 Time series
# 117     Brunei: 91.8 %   2003 Time series
# 118     China: 91.6 %   2007 Time series
# 119     Zimbabwe: 90.7 %   2003 Time series
= 120     Colombia: 90.4 %   2005 Time series
= 120     Indonesia: 90.4 %   2004 Time series
# 122     Saint Lucia: 90.1 %   2001 Time series
= 123     Jordan: 89.9 %   2003 Time series
= 123     Burma: 89.9 %   2006 Time series
# 125     Suriname: 89.6 %   2004 Time series
# 126     Bahrain: 89.1 %   2003 Time series
= 127     Micronesia, Federated States of: 89 %   1980 Time series
= 127     Qatar: 89 %   2004 Time series
= 129     Réunion: 88.9 %   2003 Time series
= 129     Malaysia: 88.9 %   2003 Time series
# 131     Brazil: 88.6 %   2004 Time series
# 132     Jamaica: 87.9 %   2003 Time series
= 133     Lebanon: 87.4 %   2003 Time series
= 133     Turkey: 87.4 %   2004 Time series
# 135     Bolivia: 87.2 %   2003 Time series
# 136     Albania: 86.5 %   2003 Time series
# 137     South Africa: 86.4 %   2003 Time series
# 138     Mexico: 86.1 %   2005 Time series
# 139     Antigua and Barbuda: 85.8 %   2003 Time series
# 140     Equatorial Guinea: 85.7 %   2003 Time series
# 141     Mauritius: 85.6 %   2003 Time series
# 142     Kenya: 85.1 %   2003 Time series
# 143     São Tomé and Príncipe: 84.9 %   2001 Time series
# 144     Lesotho: 84.8 %   2003 Time series
# 145     Dominican Republic: 84.7 %   2003 Time series
# 146     Namibia: 84 %   2003 Time series
# 147     Congo, Republic of the: 83.8 %   2003 Time series
# 148     Libya: 82.6 %   2003 Time series
# 149     Swaziland: 81.6 %   2003 Time series
# 150     Oman: 81.4 %   2003 Time series
# 151     Botswana: 81.2 %   2003 Time series
# 152     El Salvador: 81.1 %   2007 Time series
# 153     Zambia: 80.6 %   2003 Time series
# 154     Syria: 79.6 %   2004 Time series
# 155     Iran: 79.4 %   2003 Time series
# 156     Cameroon: 79 %   2003 Time series
# 157     Saudi Arabia: 78.8 %   2003 Time series
# 158     Tanzania: 78.2 %   2003 Time series
# 159     United Arab Emirates: 77.9 %   2003 Time series
# 160     Cape Verde: 76.6 %   2003 Time series
# 161     Honduras: 76.2 %   2003 Time series
# 162     Ghana: 74.8 %   2003 Time series
# 163     Tunisia: 74.3 %   2004 Time series
# 164     Vanuatu: 74 %   1999 Time series
# 165     Cambodia: 73.6 %   2004 Time series
# 166     Laos: 73 %   2005 Time series
# 167     Egypt: 71.4 %   2005 Time series
# 168     Guatemala: 70.6 %   2003 Time series
# 169     Rwanda: 70.4 %   2003 Time series
# 170     Algeria: 70 %   2003 Time series
# 171     Uganda: 69.9 %   2003 Time series
# 172     Madagascar: 68.9 %   2003 Time series
# 173     Nigeria: 68 %   2003 Time series
# 174     Djibouti: 67.9 %   2003 Time series
# 175     Nicaragua: 67.5 %   2003 Time series
# 176     Angola: 67.4 %   2001 Time series
# 177     Papua New Guinea: 66 %   2003 Time series
# 178     Congo, Democratic Republic of the: 65.5 %   2003 Time series
# 179     Gabon: 63.2 %   1995 Time series
# 180     Malawi: 62.7 %   2003 Time series
# 181     Sudan: 61.1 %   2003 Time series
# 182     Togo: 60.9 %   2003 Time series
# 183     India: 59.5 %   2003 Time series
= 184     East Timor: 58.6 %   2002 Time series
= 184     Eritrea: 58.6 %   2003 Time series
# 186     Liberia: 57.5 %   2003 Time series
# 187     Comoros: 56.5 %   2003 Time series
# 188     Haiti: 52.9 %   2003 Time series
# 189     Morocco: 52.3 %   2004 Time series
# 190     Burundi: 51.6 %   2003 Time series
# 191     Central African Republic: 51 %   2003 Time series
# 192     Côte d'Ivoire: 50.9 %   2003 Time series
# 193     Yemen: 50.2 %   2003 Time series
# 194     Wallis and Futuna: 50 %   1969 Time series
# 195     Pakistan: 49.9 %   2005 Time series
# 196     Mozambique: 47.8 %   2003 Time series
# 197     Chad: 47.5 %   2003 Time series
# 198     Bhutan: 47 %   2003 Time series
# 199     Mali: 46.4 %   2003 Time series
# 200     Nepal: 45.2 %   2003 Time series
# 201     Bangladesh: 43.1 %   2003 Time series
# 202     Ethiopia: 42.7 %   2003 Time series
# 203     Guinea-Bissau: 42.4 %   2003 Time series
# 204     Mauritania: 41.7 %   2003 Time series
# 205     Iraq: 40.4 %   2003 Time series
# 206     Senegal: 40.2 %   2003 Time series
# 207     Gambia, The: 40.1 %   2003 Time series
# 208     Somalia: 37.8 %   2001 Time series
# 209     Sierra Leone: 35.1 %   2004 Time series
# 210     Benin: 34.7 %   2002 Time series
# 211     Guinea: 29.5 %   2003 Time series
# 212     Niger: 28.7 %   2005 Time series
# 213     Afghanistan: 28.1 %   2000 Time series
# 214     Burkina Faso: 21.8 %   2003 Time series
Weighted average: 84.1 %  


DEFINITION: This entry includes a definition of literacy and Census Bureau percentages for the 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 our source. Information on literacy, while not a perfect measure of educational results, is probably the most easily available and valid for international comparisons.

SOURCE: CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011

See also

See this stat for year: 2010 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1996 1995 1991 1990 1984 1982 1980 1977 1970 1969

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CITATION

"Literacy > total population by country", CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011. Retrieved from http://www.NationMaster.com/graph/edu_lit_tot_pop-education-literacy-total-population&int=-1

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COMMENTARY     

GetaClue
20th August 2011 		This is what countries report. It's is bogus!!
This is what a country will report, come on you believe China's population
has a literacy of 91.6 %. Hundreds of millions of people live in the back country, working the mines and rice fields, completely oblivious to any city learning. Most ALL of these countries report false numbers fro one reason or another.
Does anyone here really believe Georgia has 100% literacy in that country.
vcon
4th January 2011 		POj ev
Dana
4th December 2010 		Stop being so critical of this data, it's from the World Fact Book and it is correct in a sense. As stated in the article, literacy doesn't have a universal definition and if you study individual states and countries, especially industrialized ones, they often have a higher literacy rate reported for worldwide statistics than they do at home. That is because functional literacy is taken into account on a national basis. Just about anyone can read "See Spot Run" but not everyone can read an instruction manual or documents required for day to day life. In reporting internationally, if you can handle see spot run, you're literate.

Before criticizing data perhaps it would be best to understand its origins.
nashirkertosono
25th September 2010 		Indonesia,the best.......
TrueSalarian
9th August 2010 		This website offers simplified data derived from the World Values Survey. For more detailed/accurate information go to www.worldvaluessurvey.org. If you are dissatisfied with this wesite's data, look around in there & you may find what your'e looking for. The WVS is more accurate than many other sources from which you would receive information. They actually do surveys & give contextual data, such as a comparison of literacy rate over a period of time.
Luvagoo
11th June 2010 		I just wanted the Australian figures - I have France's from a good source and they sure as hell aren't 99%.
fish
20th May 2010 		I don't believe that 10 countries could be beating Australia. Where did you get your figures from ? Or did you make them up?
Tianna
18th February 2010 		I am doing a report on Poland and this site did not help at all.
B. Cooley
21st December 2009 		These are not accurate, they can't be. In my State alone there is a 15% illiteracy rate as of just a few years ago, that's not even to compound the states around mine. The US does not have a 99% literacy.
Derek McLaren
5th May 2009 		Try putting info on it not just the ranks im doing a project and this site did not do me much good so thanks for the Help
M. Saunders
11th January 2006 		From below 80% in 1986 to 97% for the U.S. now is a totally false figure and consequently invalidates all other stats in this database!
Edria Murray
Staff Editor
18th January 2005 		Over fifty years ago the United nations included literacy as a basic human right along with the right to adequate food, health care, and housing. According to UNESCO global literacy rates have increased dramatically over the last 35 years. However even today UNESCO statistics indicate that there are still over 800 million illiterate adults worldwide.

Literacy is seldom universal across the whole population. In developing nations the literacy rate of males is significantly higher than that of females. To gain a balanced perspective when comparing countries, literacy definitions should be consulted as these vary between countries.

The very high literacy rates in industrialized countries are misleading, as many adults in these countries have low levels of literacy. The International Adult literacy survey (1998) of OECD countries concluded that 23% of adults had 'very poor' skills. And a further 27% had a 'weak' skills. Both of these groups are defined as having a ”'low level of literacy'
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