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Education > Literacy > Female: Countries Compared

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.

CONTENTS

# COUNTRY AMOUNT DATE GRAPH HISTORY
=1 Holy See (Vatican City) 100% 2011
=1 Norway 100% 2008
=1 Liechtenstein 100% 2008
=1 Andorra 100% 2008
=1 Georgia 100% 2004
=1 Greenland 100% 2001
=1 Luxembourg 100% 2000
=1 Finland 100% 2000
=9 Estonia 99.8% 2003
=9 Latvia 99.8% 2003
=11 Samoa 99.7% 2003
=11 Poland 99.7% 2003
=11 Barbados 99.7% 2002
=14 Slovenia 99.6% 2008
=14 Slovakia 99.6% 2004
=14 Lithuania 99.6% 2003
=14 Ukraine 99.6% 2003
=18 Russia 99.5% 2003
=18 Belarus 99.5% 2003
=20 Hungary 99.3% 2003
=20 Kazakhstan 99.3% 1999
22 Tajikistan 99.1% 2003
=23 North Korea 99% 2011
=23 Bermuda 99% 2005
=23 Canada 99% 2003
=23 Netherlands 99% 2003
=23 Monaco 99% 2003
=23 France 99% 2003
=23 Ireland 99% 2003
=23 Australia 99% 2003
=23 Denmark 99% 2003
=23 Uzbekistan 99% 2003
=23 United Kingdom 99% 2003
=23 New Zealand 99% 2003
=23 Czech Republic 99% 2003
=23 Mongolia 99% 2003
=23 United States 99% 2003
=23 Sweden 99% 2003
=23 Belgium 99% 2003
=23 Switzerland 99% 2003
=23 Iceland 99% 2003
=23 Germany 99% 2003
=23 Japan 99% 2002
=23 Tonga 99% 1999
=23 Guam 99% 1990
=23 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 99% 1982
Group of 7 countries (G7) average (profile) 98.88% 2003
47 Moldova 98.6% 2005
48 Guyana 98.5% 2003
49 Uruguay 98.4% 2003
=50 Italy 98.3% 2003
=50 Turkmenistan 98.3% 1999
=52 Azerbaijan 98.2% 2003
=52 Bulgaria 98.2% 2003
High income OECD countries average (profile) 98.16% 2003
European Union average (profile) 98.15% 2003
=54 Martinique 98.1% 2003
=54 Kyrgyzstan 98.1% 1999
=56 Trinidad and Tobago 98% 2003
=56 Armenia 98% 2003
=56 Saint Kitts and Nevis 98% 1980
=56 French Polynesia 98% 1977
=56 Cayman Islands 98% 1970
=56 Turks and Caicos Islands 98% 1970
=56 Grenada 98% 1970
63 Croatia 97.8% 2003
64 Romania 97.7% 2003
65 Spain 97.2% 2003
=66 Argentina 97.1% 2003
=66 Aruba 97.1% 2000
=68 South Korea 97% 2003
=68 American Samoa 97% 1980
=68 Montserrat 97% 1970
71 Cuba 96.9% 2003
NATO countries average (profile) 96.83% 2003
72 Netherlands Antilles 96.8% 2003
=73 Greece 96.5% 2003
=73 The Bahamas 96.5% 2003
75 Cyprus 96.3% 2003
=76 Costa Rica 96.1% 2003
=76 Chile 96.1% 2003
=78 Northern Mariana Islands 96% 1980
=78 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 96% 1970
80 Israel 95.9% 2004
81 Philippines 95.8% 2003
82 New Caledonia 95.5% 1996
=83 San Marino 95% 2011
=83 Anguilla 95% 1984
85 Maldives 94.7% 2006
86 Thailand 94.6% 2003
87 Lesotho 94.5% 2003
=88 Puerto Rico 94.4% 2002
=88 Bosnia and Herzegovina 94.4% 2000
=90 Serbia and Montenegro 94.1% 2003
=90 Belize 94.1% 2003
92 Dominica 94% 2003
93 Malta 93.9% 2005
Non-religious countries average (profile) 93.86% 2003
94 Marshall Islands 93.7% 1999
95 Venezuela 93.1% 2003
96 Paraguay 93% 2003
=97 Vietnam 92.3% 2003
=97 Seychelles 92.3% 2003
99 Macau 92% 2003
=100 Panama 91.9% 2003
=100 Fiji 91.9% 2003
102 Jamaica 91.6% 2003
103 Portugal 91.3% 2003
=104 Kuwait 91% 2005
=104 Ecuador 91% 2003
106 Reunion 90.8% 2003
107 Colombia 90.7% 2005
108 Saint Lucia 90.6% 2001
109 Hong Kong 90.5% 2003
=110 Sri Lanka 90% 2003
=110 Palau 90% 1980
112 Singapore 89.7% 2003
113 Peru 89.4% 2007
114 Brazil 88.8% 2004
Emerging markets average (profile) 88.72% 2003
115 Qatar 88.6% 2004
116 Brunei 88.5% 2003
=117 West Bank 88% 2004
=117 Gaza Strip 88% 2004
=117 Federated States of Micronesia 88% 1980
120 China 87.6% 2007
Former Spanish colonies average (profile) 87.46% 2003
=121 Suriname 87.2% 2004
=121 Zimbabwe 87.2% 2003
123 Indonesia 86.8% 2004
124 Burma 86.4% 2006
125 South Africa 85.7% 2003
126 Malaysia 85.4% 2003
127 Mexico 85.3% 2005
128 Bahrain 85% 2003
129 Dominican Republic 84.8% 2003
130 Jordan 84.7% 2003
131 Namibia 83.7% 2003
132 Mauritius 82.7% 2003
133 Lebanon 82.2% 2003
134 Botswana 81.8% 2003
135 United Arab Emirates 81.7% 2003
136 Bolivia 81.6% 2003
137 Swaziland 80.8% 2003
138 Kenya 79.7% 2003
=139 El Salvador 79.6% 2007
=139 Turkey 79.6% 2004
141 Albania 79.5% 2003
142 Taiwan 79% 1980
=143 Congo, Republic of the 78.4% 2003
=143 Equatorial Guinea 78.4% 2003
145 Sao Tome and Principe 77.9% 2001
Former British colonies average (profile) 76.65% 2003
146 Honduras 76.3% 2003
147 Zambia 74.8% 2003
148 Syria 73.6% 2004
149 Oman 73.5% 2003
150 Cameroon 73.4% 2003
151 Iran 73% 2003
152 Libya 72% 2003
153 Saudi Arabia 70.8% 2003
154 Tanzania 70.7% 2003
OPEC countries average (profile) 70.33% 2003
155 Cape Verde 69.2% 2003
156 Nicaragua 67.8% 2003
Middle Eastern and North Africa average (profile) 67.41% 2003
157 Ghana 67.1% 2003
158 Tunisia 65.3% 2004
159 Rwanda 64.7% 2003
160 Cambodia 64.1% 2004
161 Guatemala 63.3% 2003
162 Laos 63% 2005
163 Madagascar 62.5% 2003
164 Algeria 61% 2003
Muslim countries average (profile) 60.7% 2003
165 Nigeria 60.6% 2003
166 Uganda 60.4% 2003
167 Egypt 59.4% 2005
168 Papua New Guinea 59.3% 2003
169 Djibouti 58.4% 2003
Sub-Saharan Africa average (profile) 55.87% 2003
170 Democratic Republic of the Congo 55.1% 2003
171 Angola 54.2% 2001
172 Gabon 53.3% 1995
173 Haiti 51.2% 2003
174 Sudan 50.5% 2003
175 Wallis and Futuna 50% 1969
176 Malawi 49.8% 2003
177 Comoros 49.3% 2003
178 India 48.3% 2003
179 Eritrea 47.6% 2003
Former French colonies average (profile) 47.6% 2003
180 Togo 46.9% 2003
181 Burundi 45.2% 2003
182 Cote d'Ivoire 43.6% 2003
failed states average (profile) 42.92% 2003
183 Liberia 41.6% 2003
184 Central African Republic 39.9% 2003
=185 Morocco 39.6% 2004
=185 Mali 39.6% 2003
187 Chad 39.3% 2003
South Asia average (profile) 36.17% 2003
188 Pakistan 36% 2005
189 Ethiopia 35.1% 2003
190 Bhutan 34% 2003
191 The Gambia 32.8% 2003
192 Mozambique 32.7% 2003
193 Mauritania 31.9% 2003
194 Bangladesh 31.8% 2003
195 Senegal 30.7% 2003
196 Yemen 30% 2003
197 Nepal 27.6% 2003
198 Guinea-Bissau 27.4% 2003
199 Somalia 25.8% 2001
=200 Sierra Leone 24.4% 2004
=200 Iraq 24.4% 2003
202 Benin 23.3% 2002
203 Guinea 18.1% 2003
204 Burkina Faso 15.2% 2003
205 Niger 15.1% 2005
206 Afghanistan 12.6% 2000

Citation

Education > Literacy > Female: Countries Compared Map

NationMaster

Interesting observations about Education > Literacy > Female

  • All of the top 2 countries by literacy > female are Christian.
  • All of the top 2 countries by literacy > female are European.
  • 9 of the top 10 countries by literacy > female are Cold countries'.
  • All of the top 2 countries by literacy > female are Landlocked.
  • All of the top 2 countries by literacy > female are Catholic.
  • Afghanistan has ranked last for literacy > female since 1999.
  • Barbados has ranked in the top 2 for literacy > female since 1995.
  • 5 of the top 11 countries by literacy > female are Tourist destination.
  • Slovakia has ranked in the top 3 for literacy > female since 2001.
  • Estonia has ranked in the top 3 for literacy > female since 2000.
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