List of countries by literacy rate

World map indicating literacy by country in 2013 (2013 UNHuman Development Reportand Individual statistics departments) Grey = no dataThis is alist of countries byliteracyrate. The figures represent a mixture of data collected by theCIA World Factbook,[1]and national self-reported data. Where data was unavailable, older figures were used. For highly developed/high income countries where literacy statistics were not collected, a rate of 99% was assumed.Contents[hide] 1List 2See also 3References 4External linksList[edit]According to the CIA World Factbook, almost 75% of the world's 775 million illiterate adults are concentrated in ten countries (in descending order: India, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt, Brazil, Indonesia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo). Women represent two-thirds of all illiterate adults globally. Extremely low literacy rates are focused in three regions: South Asia, West Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. The global literacy rate for all people aged 15 and over is 84.1%. The global literacy rate for all males is 88.6% and the rate for all females is 79.7%.[2]CountryLiteracy rate (all)Male LiteracyFemale LiteracyGender DifferenceCriteria

World84.1%88.6%79.7%8.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

Afghanistan28.1%43.1%12.6%30.5%age 15 and over can read and write (2000 est.)[1]

Albania96.8%98%95.7%2.3%age 9 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]

Algeria86%86%86%14.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[3]

American Samoa97%98%97%1%age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)[1]

Andorra100%100%100%0%age 15 and over can read and write[1]

Angola71.1%82.0%60.7%21.3%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Antigua and Barbuda99%98.4%99.4%-1.0%age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling (2011 est.)[1]

Argentina97.9%97.8%97.9%-0.1%age 10 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]

Armenia99.6%99.7%99.5%0.2%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]

Aruba96.8%96.9%96.7%0.2%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

Australia96%96%96%0%age 15 and over can read brief texts on familiar topics (2011-2)[4]

Austria98%N/AN/AN/Aage 15 and over can read and write[1]

Azerbaijan99.8%99.9%99.7%0.2%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 census)[1]

Bahamas, The95.6%94.7%96.5%-1.8%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]

Bahrain94.6%96.1%91.6%4.5%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 census)[1]

Bangladesh57.7%62%53.4%8.6%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]

Barbados99.7%99.7%99.7%0.0%age 15 and over has ever attended school (2002 est.)[1]

Belarus99.6%99.8%99.5%0.3%age 15 and over can read and write (2009 census)[1]

Belgium99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]

Belize79.7%75.2%84.1%-8.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 census)[5]

Benin42.4%55.2%30.3%24.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 census)[1]

Bermuda98%98%99%-1%age 15 and over can read and write (2005 est.)[1]

Bhutan64.9%73.1%55%18.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Bolivia95.7%97.8%93.6%4.2%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Bosnia and Herzegovina99.4%99.8%98.9%0.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]

Botswana88.5%88%88.9%-0.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Brazil91.33%91.02%91.63%N/Aage 15 and over can read and write (2012 est.)[6][7][8]

British Virgin Islands97.8%N/AN/AN/Aage 15 and over can read and write (1991 est.)[1]

Brunei95.4%97%93.9%3.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]

Bulgaria98.4%98.7%98%0.7%age 15 and over can read and write (2011)[1]

Burkina Faso36%43%29.3%13.7%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Burma93.1%95.2%91.2%4%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Burundi85.6%88.2%83.1%5.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Cambodia77.2%84.5%70.5%14%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Cameroon75%81.2%68.9%12.3%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Canada99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]

Cape Verde87.6%92.1%83.1%9%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Cayman Islands98.9%98.7%99%-0.3%age 15 and over has ever attended school (2007 est.)[1]

Central African Republic56.6%69.6%44.2%25.4%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]

Chad35.4%45.6%25.4%20.2%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]

Chile98.6%98.6%98.5%0.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2009 est.)[1]

China95.1%97.5%92.7%4.8%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

Christmas IslandN/AN/AN/AN/A[1]

Cocos (Keeling) IslandsN/AN/AN/AN/A[1]

Colombia94.7%94.6%94.8%-0.2%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est)[1]

Comoros75.5%80.5%70.6%9.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]

Congo, Democratic Republic of the66.8%76.9%57%19.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

Congo, Republic of the83.8%89.6%78.4%11.2%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]

Cook Islands95%N/AN/AN/Aage 15 and over can read and write[1]

Costa Rica97.8%97.7%97.8%-0.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Croatia99.2%99.4%98.7%0.7%age 10 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[9]

Cuba99.8%99.8%99.8%0.0%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]

Cyprus98.7%99.3%98.1%1.2%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]

Czech Republic99%99%99%0%(2011 est.)[1]

Denmark99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]

Djibouti70%N/AN/AN/Aage 15 and over can read and write (2012 est.)[10]

Dominica94%94%94%0%age 15 and over has ever attended school (2003 est.)[1]

Dominican Republic91.8%91.2%92.3%-1.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Ecuador94.5%95.4%93.5%1.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Egypt73.8%82.2%65.4%16.8%age 10 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

El Salvador88%90.4%86%4.4%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Equatorial Guinea95.3%97.4%93%4.4%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Eritrea80%N/AN/AN/Aage 15 and over can read and write (2013 est.)[11]

Estonia99.8%99.8%99.8%0.0%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]

Ethiopia49.1%57.2%41.1%16.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Falkland IslandsN/AN/AN/AN/A[1]

Faroe IslandsN/AN/AN/AN/ANote probably 99%, the same as Denmark proper[1]

Fiji93.7%95.5%91.9%3.6%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]

Finland100%100%100%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2000 est.)[1]

France99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]

French Polynesia98%98%98%0%age 14 and over can read and write (1977 est.)[1]

Gabon88.4%91.9%84.9%7.0%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

Gambia, The50%60%40.4%19.6%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

Gaza Strip96.4%98.3%94.3%4.0%age 15 and over can read and write (2012 est.)[12]

Georgia99.8%99.8%99.7%0.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Germany99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]

Ghana76.6%82%71.4%10.6%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Gibraltar>80%N/AN/AN/A[1]

Greece98.9%98.8%99%-0.2%age 15 and over can read and write (2001 census)[1]

Greenland100%100%100%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2001 est.)[1]

Grenada96%N/AN/AN/Aage 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]

Guam99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)[1]

Guatemala83.4%N/AN/AN/Aage 15 and over can read and write (2012 est.)[13]

GuernseyN/AN/AN/AN/A[1]

Guinea41%52%30%22%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

Guinea-Bissau59.9%71.8%48.3%23.5%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Guyana91.8%92%91.6%0.4%age 15 and over has ever attended school (2002 census)[1]

Haiti52.9%54.8%51.2%3.6%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]

Honduras88.5%88.4%88.6%-0.2%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Hong Kong93.5%96.9%89.6%7.3%age 15 and over has ever attended school (2002)[1]

Hungary99%99.2%98.9%0.3%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]

Iceland99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]

India74.4%82.1%65.5%16.6%age 7 and over can read and write (2011 census)[14]

Indonesia92.8%97%89.6%7.4%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

Iran86.8%91.2%82.5%8.7%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Iraq80.2%89%73.6%15.4%age 15 and over can read and write (2012 est.)[1]

Ireland99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]

Isle of ManN/AN/AN/AN/A[1]

Israel97.8%98.7%95.8%2.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Italy99%99.2%98.7%0.5%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 census)[1]

Ivory Coast56.2%65.2%46.6%18.6%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

Jamaica88.7%84.0%93.1%-9.1%age 15 and over has ever attended school (2015 est.)[1]

Japan99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2002 census)[1]

JerseyN/AN/AN/AN/A[1]

Jordan93.4%96.6%90.2%6.4%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]

Kazakhstan99.5%99.8%99.3%0.5%age 15 and over can read and write (1999 est.)[1]

Kenya87.4%90.6%84.2%6.4%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

KiribatiN/AN/AN/AN/A[1]

Korea, North100%100%100%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2008 est.)[1]

Korea, South97.9%99.2%96.6%2.6%age 15 and over can read and write (2002)[1]

Kosovo, Republic of91.9%96.6%87.5%9.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2007 census)[1]

Kuwait94%94.4%97%-2.6%age 15 and over can read and write (2007-2011 census)[15]

Kyrgyzstan98.7%99.3%98.1%1.2%age 15 and over can read and write (1999 census)[1]

Laos79.9%87.1%72.8%14.3%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Latvia99.8%99.8%99.8%0.0%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]

Lebanon89.6%93.4%86%7.4%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]

Lesotho89.6%83.3%95.6%-12.3%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

Liberia60.8%64.8%56.8%10.0%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

Libya94.2%98.6%90.7%7.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

Liechtenstein100%100%100%0%age 10 and over can read and write[1]

Lithuania99.7%99.7%99.7%0.0%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

Luxembourg100%100%100%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2000 est.)[1]

Macau91.3%95.3%87.8%7.5%age 15 and over can read and write (2001 census)[1]

Macedonia, Republic of97.3%98.7%95.9%2.8%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

Madagascar64.7%66.7%62.6%4.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Malawi74.8%81.1%68.5%12.6%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

Malaysia93.1%95.4%90.7%4.7%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 census)[1]

Maldives99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2006 census)[1]

Mali27.7%36.1%19.8%16.3%age 15 and over can read and write (2009 census)[1]

Malta92.8%91.7%93.9%-2.2%age 10 and over can read and write (2005 census)[1]

Marshall Islands93.7%93.6%93.7%-0.1%age 15 and over can read and write (1999 est.)[1]

Mauritania52.1%62.6%41.6%21%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Mauritius89.8%92.3%87.3%5.0%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 census)[16]

Mexico95.1%96.2%94.2%2%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 estimate)[1]

Micronesia, Federated States of89%91%88%3%age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)[1]

Moldova98.5%99.1%98.1%1.0%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

Monaco99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]

Mongolia97.4%96.9%97.9%-1.0%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

Montenegro98.4%99.4%97.4%2.0%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

Montserrat97%97%97%0%age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970 est.)[1]

Morocco67.1%76.1%57.6%18.5%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]

Mozambique58.8%73.3%45.4%27.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Namibia88.8%89%88.5%0.5%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

NauruN/AN/AN/AN/A[1]

Nepal66%75.1%57.4%17.7%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 census)[1]

Netherlands99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]

New Caledonia96.2%96.8%95.5%1.3%age 15 and over can read and write (1996 census)[1]

New Zealand99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]

Nicaragua82.8%82.4%83.2%-0.8%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Niger28.7%42.9%15.1%27.8%age 15 and over can read and write (2005 est.)[1]

Nigeria61.3%72.1%50.4%21.7%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

Niue95%N/AN/AN/A[1]

Norfolk Island100%100%100%0%[1]

Northern Mariana Islands97%97%96%1%age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)[1]

Norway100%100%100%0%[1]

Oman81.4%86.8%73.5%13.3%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 census)[1]

Pakistan55%67%42%25%age 15 and over can read and write.[3][4]

Palau92%93%90%3%age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)[1]

Palestine95.6%98.1%93.1%5.0%age 15 and over can read and write (2012 est.)[17]

Panama95%95.7%94.4%1.3%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Papua New Guinea64.2%65.6%62.8%2.8%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Paraguay94%94.9%93%1.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]

Peru94.5%97.3%91.7%5.6%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Philippines96.3%95.8%96.8%-1%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Pitcairn IslandsN/AN/AN/AN/A[1]

Poland99.7%99.9%99.6%0.3%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]

Portugal95.4%97%94%3%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]

Puerto Rico94.1%93.9%94.4%-0.5%age 15 and over can read and write (2002 est.)[1]

Qatar96.3%96.5%95.4%1.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

Romania97.7%98.3%97.1%1.2%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]

Russia99.7%99.7%99.6%0.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

Rwanda71.1%74.8%67.5%7.3%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha97%97%98%-1%age 20 and over can read and write (1987 est.)[1]

Saint Kitts and Nevis97.8%N/AN/AN/Aage 15 and over has ever attended school (2003 est.)[1]

Saint Lucia90.1%89.5%90.6%-1.1%age 15 and over has ever attended school (2001 est.)[1]

Saint Pierre and Miquelon99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (1982 est.)[1]

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines96%96%96%0%age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970 est.)[1]

Samoa99.7%99.6%99.7%-0.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]

San Marino96%97%95%2%age 10 and over can read and write[1]

Sao Tome and Principe84.9%92.2%77.9%14.3%age 15 and over can read and write (2001 census)[1]

Saudi Arabia86.6%90.4%81.3%9.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

Senegal39.3%51.1%29.2%21.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2002 est.)[1]

Serbia98%99.2%96.9%2.3%age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1]

Seychelles91.8%91.4%92.3%-0.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2002 census)[1]

Sierra Leone35.1%46.9%24.4%22.5%age 15 and over can read and write (2004 est.)[1]

Singapore95.9%98.0%93.8%4.2%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

Slovakia99.6%99.7%99.6%0.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2004)[1]

Slovenia99.7%99.7%99.7%0.0%(2010 est.)[1]

Solomon Islands84.1%88.9%79.2%9.7%[1]

SomaliaN/AN/AN/AN/A[18]

South Africa94.3%95.5%93.1%2.4%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

South Sudan27%40%16%24%age 15 and over can read and write[1]

Spain97.7%98.5%97%1.5%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

Sri Lanka98.1%97.7%98.6%-0.9%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 census)[1]

Sudan75.9%83.3%68.6%14.7%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Suriname95.6%96.1%95%1.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

SvalbardN/AN/AN/AN/A[1]

Swaziland87.5%87.4%87.5%-0.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Sweden99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]

Switzerland99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]

Syria79.6%86%73.6%12.4%age 15 and over can read and write (2004 census)[1]

Taiwan98.29%99.62%96.97%2.65%age 15 and over can read and write (2012)[19]

Tajikistan99.7%99.8%99.6%0.2%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

Tanzania70.6%75.9%65.4%10.5%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Thailand96.7%96.6%96.7%-0.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Timor-Leste67.5%71.5%63.4%8.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Togo60.9%75.4%46.9%28.5%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]

TokelauN/AN/AN/AN/A[1]

Tonga98.9%98.8%99%-0.2%can read and write Tongan and/or English (1999 est.)[1]

Trinidad and Tobago98.6%99.1%98%1.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]

Tunisia88.3%95.1%80.3%14.8%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 census)[1]

Turkey95.4%98.5%92.4%6.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2014 est.)[20]

Turkmenistan98.8%99.3%98.3%1.0%age 15 and over can read and write (1999 est.)[1]

Turks and Caicos Islands98%99%98%1%age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970 est.)[1]

TuvaluN/AN/AN/AN/A[1]

Uganda78.4%85.3%71.5%13.8%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Ukraine99.7%99.8%99.6%0.2%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

United Arab Emirates77.9%76.1%81.7%-5.6%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]

United Kingdom99%99%99%0%age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling (2003 est.)[1]

United States99%99%99%0%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]

United States Virgin Islands90-95% est.N/AN/AN/Aage 15 and over can read and write (2005 est.)[1]

Uruguay98.5%98.2%98.8%-0.6%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[21]

Uzbekistan99.3%99.6%99%0.6%age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1]

Vanuatu85.2%86.6%83.8%2.8%age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)[1]

Vatican City99%99%99%0%[1]

Venezuela95.5%95.7%95.4%0.3%age 15 and over can read and write (2009 est.)[22]

Vietnam94%96.1%92%4.1%age 15 and over can read and write (2002 est.)[1]

Wallis and Futuna50%50%50%0%age 15 and over can read and write (1969 est.)[1]

Western SaharaN/AN/AN/AN/A[1]

Yemen63.9%81.2%46.8%34.4%age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1]

Zambia80.6%86.8%74.8%12%age 15 and over can read and write English (2003 est.)[1]

Zimbabwe90.7%94.2%87.2%7.0%age 15 and over can read and write English (2003 est.)[1]