Literacy Rate by Country 2022

To a large extent, a person’s professional trajectory is predicated on their literacy level or their ability to read and write clearly and accurately. There is a wide selection of jobs to choose from for individuals who can read and write, including highly-skilled, high-paying ones.

Those who cannot do so have few choices; even entry-level positions paying the federal minimum wage might be difficult to come by.




There is a high level of global literacy. 86.3 percent of all 15-year-old boys and girls can read and write. Males over the age of 15 have a literacy rate of 90%, while females fall slightly behind at 82.7 percent.

Despite this, there are enormous disparities across countries. Adult literacy in developed countries is virtually usually at least 96%.

Less-developed countries have an average literacy rate of just 66%. Literacy comparisons across countries tend to be inaccurate. This is due mostly to two complicating factors: Several nations don’t publish their literacy every year, and many countries have different definitions of literacy.




The World’s Top 10 Literate Countries:

  1. Uzbekistan – 2018 – 99.99%
  2. Ukraine – 2012 – 99.97%
  3. San Marino – 2018 – 99.92%
  4. Latvia – 2018 – 99.89%
  5. Estonia – 2011 – 99.89%
  6. Czech Republic – 2016 – 99.83%
  7. Lithuania – 2011 – 99.82%
  8. Tajikstan – 2014 – 99.80%
  9. Azerbaijan – 2017 – 99.79%
  10. Kazakhstan – 2018 – 99.78%




Top 10 world’s least-literate countries

  1. Chad – 2016 – 22.31%
  2. Guinea – 2014 – 32.00%
  3. South Sudan – 2018 – 34.52%
  4. Niger – 2018 – 35.05%
  5. Mali – 2018 – 35.47%
  6. Central African Republic – 37.40%
  7. Burkina Faso – 2018 – 41.22%
  8. Benin – 2018 – 42.36%
  9. Afghanistan – 2018 – 43.02%
  10. Sierra Leone – 2018 – 43.21%

The relationship between literacy and poverty




There is a correlation between poverty and illiteracy. Poverty has a significant impact on educational opportunities. Furthermore, even if schooling is accessible, a disadvantaged family may need its children to work and earn money rather than attend school.

Literacy levels are lowest in South Asia, West Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa, also home to the world’s poorest nations.

As many as 781 million individuals throughout the globe are unable to read or write, and approximately two-thirds of them are women. In less-developed nations, women are generally expected to remain at home and care for the house and children.

Also See: Education Rankings by Country 2022

At the same time, men go to work, this gender inequality is especially obvious. The literacy rates of men and women are almost identical in industrialized countries. As a complete list of all known data on literacy rates across the globe, please refer to the following table.




CountryLatest RateRate Year2022 Population
Liechtenstein100201138.3870
Greenland100200156.9730
Andorra100201177.4630
Luxembourg1002000642.3710
Norway10020115511.3700
Finland10020005554.9600
Uzbekistan99.9952201534382.0840
Latvia99.892720151848.8370
Estonia99.823520151321.9100
Lithuania99.823320152661.7080
Azerbaijan99.8053201510300.2050
Guam99.78902015171.5190
Kazakhstan99.7878201519205.0430
Poland99.7874201537739.7850
Tajikistan99.781120159957.4640
Armenia99.768420152971.9660
Ukraine99.7641201543192.1220
Georgia99.759620153968.7380
Belarus99.722020159432.8000
Russia99.71962015145805.9470
Slovenia99.714820152078.0340
Cuba99.7107201511305.6520
Barbados99.70002002288.0230
Turkmenistan99.692920156201.9430
Slovakia99.600020045460.1930
Palau99.5240201518.2330
Kyrgyzstan99.501320156728.2710
Tonga99.39792015107.7490
Hungary99.380920159606.2590
Maldives99.32102015540.9850
Croatia99.272620154059.2860
Moldova99.244420154013.1710
Cyprus99.059820151223.3870
Italy99.0158201560262.7700
Samoa99.01502015202.2390
Saint Pierre and Miquelon9919825.7590
Monaco99200339.7830
Iceland992003345.3930
New Zealand9920034898.2030
Ireland9920035020.1990
Denmark9920035834.9500
Switzerland9920038773.6370
Sweden99200310218.9710
Belgium99200311668.2780
Netherlands99200317211.4470
Australia99200326068.7920
Canada99200338388.4190
France99200365584.5180
United Kingdom99200368497.9070
Germany99200383883.5960
Japan992002125584.8380
United States992003334805.2690
Trinidad and Tobago98.969620151406.5850
Antigua and Barbuda98.9500201499.5090
Cayman Islands98.8678200767.2770
Romania98.7570201519031.3350
Montenegro98.71992015627.9500
Bosnia and Herzegovina98.485820153249.3170
Uruguay98.442120153496.0160
Bulgaria98.388620156844.5970
Mongolia98.367620153378.0780
Marshall Islands98.2651201560.0570
Spain98.1145201546719.1420
Argentina98.0900201546010.2340
Jordan98.0144201510300.8690
Serbia98.002920158653.0160
Turks and Caicos Islands98197039.7410
Bermuda98200561.9390
French Polynesia981977284.1640
Austria9820119066.7100
South Korea97.9659200851329.8990
North Macedonia97.843820152081.3040
British Virgin Islands97.8000199130.5960
Saint Kitts and Nevis97.8000200353.8710
Qatar97.757120152979.9150
Costa Rica97.647220155182.3540
Albania97.553920152866.3740
Aruba97.52422015107.6090
American Samoa97.3442198055.0300
Israel97.100020048922.8920
Montserrat9719704.9650
Northern Mariana Islands97198058.2690
New Caledonia96.93782015290.9150
Singapore96.774620155943.5460
Palestine96.668020155345.5410
Brunei96.65652015445.4310
Chile96.6275201519250.1950
Philippines96.61802015112508.9940
China96.357520151448471.4000
Kuwait96.117720154380.3260
Taiwan96.1000200323888.5950
San Marino96201134.0850
Grenada962003113.4750
Bahrain95.717320151783.9830
Turkey95.6881201585561.9760
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines95.63221970111.5510
Bahamas95.60002003400.5160
Suriname95.53902015596.8310
Paraguay95.536120157305.8430
Indonesia95.43772015279134.5050
Portugal95.4281201510140.5700
Venezuela95.3992201529266.9910
Seychelles95.3211201599.4260
Greece95.2929201510316.6370
Equatorial Guinea95.195720151496.6620
Bolivia95.1419201511992.6560
Panama95.038220154446.9640
Niue9520111.6220
Anguilla95198415.2300
Cook Islands95201117.5710
Saudi Arabia94.8424201535844.9090
Malaysia94.6370201533181.0720
South Africa94.5979201560756.1350
Colombia94.5771201551512.7620
Mexico94.54562015131562.7720
Ecuador94.5155201518113.3610
Vietnam94.5143201598953.5410
Peru94.3744201533684.2080
Malta94.06662015444.0330
Lebanon94.051120156684.8490
Dominica94200372.3440
Thailand93.9830201570078.2030
Oman93.971620155323.9930
Fiji93.70002003909.4660
Hong Kong93.500020027604.2990
Puerto Rico93.329420152829.8120
Myanmar93.0901201555227.1430
United Arab Emirates92.9864201510081.7850
Sri Lanka92.6142201521575.8420
Brazil92.58682015215353.5930
Dominican Republic92.4654201511056.3700
Sao Tome and Principe91.74712015227.6790
Libya91.388920157040.7450
Namibia90.820520152633.8740
Mauritius90.616020151274.7270
Saint Lucia90.10002001185.1130
Micronesia891980117.4890
Jamaica88.499920152985.0940
Cape Verde88.46542015567.6780
Honduras88.4246201510221.2470
Botswana88.224420152441.1620
El Salvador87.648220156550.3890
Guyana87.53532015794.0450
Eswatini87.470220151184.8170
Iran87.1725201586022.8370
Zimbabwe86.8735201515331.4280
Syria86.3039201519364.8090
Burundi85.4961201512624.8400
Zambia85.1173201519470.2340
Vanuatu85.05872015321.8320
Solomon Islands84.10002011721.1590
Gabon83.237920152331.5330
Belize82.77682015412.1900
Nicaragua82.471820156779.1000
Tunisia81.0542201512046.6560
Tanzania80.3595201563298.5500
Gibraltar80201133.7040
Laos79.867520157481.0230
Iraq79.7218201542164.9650
Algeria79.6084201545350.1480
Lesotho79.360920152175.6990
Guatemala79.0742201518584.0390
Cambodia78.3459201517168.6390
Comoros78.13742015907.4190
Kenya78.0234201556215.2210
DR Congo77.2217201595240.7920
Ghana76.5759201532395.4500
Egypt75.84262015106156.6920
Cameroon74.9856201527911.5480
Eritrea73.845320153662.2440
Uganda73.8098201548432.8630
India72.225320151406631.7760
Morocco71.7105201537772.7560
Rwanda71.2435201513600.4640
Angola71.1642201535027.3430
Yemen69.9620201531154.8670
Djibouti67.900020031016.0970
Togo66.537620158680.8370
Malawi65.9638201520180.8390
Nepal64.6636201530225.5820
Madagascar64.6563201529178.0770
Bhutan63.90682015787.9410
Papua New Guinea63.433520159292.1690
Bangladesh61.49382015167885.6890
Haiti60.6893201511680.2830
Guinea-Bissau59.772820152063.3670
Nigeria59.56812015216746.9340
Mozambique58.8366201533089.4610
Sudan58.6013201545992.0200
Pakistan56.44032015229488.9940
Senegal55.6249201517653.6710
Gambia55.572820152558.4820
Mauritania52.123620154901.9810
Wallis and Futuna50196910.9820
Ethiopia49.03152015120812.6980
Sierra Leone48.431920158306.4360
Liberia47.600120155305.1170
Ivory Coast43.2653201527742.2980
Chad40.0182201517413.5800
Benin38.4471201512784.7260
Afghanistan38.1680201540754.3880
Somalia37.8000200116841.7950
Burkina Faso37.7467201522102.8380
Central African Republic36.752620155016.6780
Mali33.0689201521473.7640
South Sudan31.9763201511618.5110
Guinea30.4728201513865.6910
Niger19.1026201526083.6600




Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top