The CIA World Factbook Edition 1993 People

Literacy In 36 editions of 36.

Literacy was published in 36 editions of the CIA World Factbook, from 1990 to 2025. The 1993 edition carries it in 236 entries, in its People section. Every entry is shown as that edition published it.

entries in the 1993 edition
236
the first edition with it
1990
the latest edition with it
2025

Published as “Literacy” (1990 to 2025).

the entry has the field in that editionnot in that editionthe open editionEach entry below ends in its editions with Literacy, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down; choose one in a row to read that edition’s text there.

1993

Every edition with Literacy

Entries with Literacy in each edition

19902000201020202025

Select a bar to open that edition.

World

1 entry

World

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
combined:
74%
male:
81%
female:
67%

Africa

57 entries

Algeria

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
57%
male:
70%
female:
46%

Angola

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
42%
male:
56%
female:
28%

Benin

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
23%
male:
32%
female:
16%

Botswana

  • age 15 and over able to read and write simple sentences (1990)
total population:
72%
male:
67%
female:
74%

Burkina now Burkina Faso

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
18%
male:
28%
female:
9%

Burundi

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
50%
male:
61%
female:
40%

Cape Verde now Cabo Verde

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1989)
total population:
66%
male:
NA
female:
NA

Cameroon

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
54%
male:
66%
female:
43%

Central African Republic

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
27%
male:
33%
female:
15%

Chad

  • age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic (1990)
total population:
30%
male:
42%
female:
18%

Comoros

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
48%
male:
56%
female:
40%

Zaire now Democratic Republic of the Congo

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
72%
male:
84%
female:
61%

Congo now Republic of the Congo

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
57%
male:
70%
female:
44%

Cote d'Ivoire

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
54%
male:
67%
female:
40%

Djibouti

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
48%
male:
63%
female:
34%

Egypt

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
48%
male:
63%
female:
34%

Equatorial Guinea

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
50%
male:
64%
female:
37%

Eritrea

NA%

Swaziland now Eswatini

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1976)
total population:
55%
male:
57%
female:
54%

Ethiopia

  • age 10 and over can read and write (1983)
total population:
62%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Gabon

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
61%
male:
74%
female:
48%

The Gambia

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
27%
male:
39%
female:
16%

Ghana

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
60%
male:
70%
female:
51%

Guinea

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
24%
male:
35%
female:
13%

Guinea-Bissau

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
36%
male:
50%
female:
24%

Kenya

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
69%
male:
80%
female:
58%

Lesotho

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1966)
total population:
59%
male:
44%
female:
68%

Liberia

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
40%
male:
50%
female:
29%

Libya

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
64%
male:
75%
female:
50%

Madagascar

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
80%
male:
88%
female:
73%

Malawi

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1966)
total population:
22%
male:
34%
female:
12%

Mali

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
32%
male:
41%
female:
24%

Mauritania

  • age 10 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
34%
male:
47%
female:
21%

Mauritius

  • age 13 and over can read and write (1962)
total population:
61%
male:
72%
female:
50%

Mayotte

total population:
NA
male:
NA
female:
NA

Morocco

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
50%
male:
61%
female:
38%

Mozambique

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
33%
male:
45%
female:
21%

Namibia

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1960)
total population:
38%
male:
45%
female:
31%

Niger

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
28%
male:
40%
female:
17%

Nigeria

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
51%
male:
62%
female:
40%

Reunion

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1982)
total population:
69%
male:
67%
female:
74%

Rwanda

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
50% male: 64%
female:
37%

Saint Helena now Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1987)
total population:
98%
male:
97% female: 98%

Sao Tome and Principe

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1981)
total population:
57%
male:
73%
female:
42%

Senegal

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
38%
male:
52%
female:
25%

Seychelles

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1971)
total population:
58%
male:
56%
female:
60%

Sierra Leone

  • age 15 and over can read and write English, Merde, Temne, or Arabic (1990)
total population:
21%
male:
31%
female:
11%

Somalia

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
24%
male:
36%
female:
14%

South Africa

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
76%
male:
78%
female:
75%

Sudan

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
27%
male:
43%
female:
12%

Tanzania

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1978)
total population:
46% male: 62%
female:
31%

Togo

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
43%
male:
56%
female:
31%

Tunisia

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
65%
male:
74%
female:
56%

Uganda

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
48%
male:
62%
female:
35%

Western Sahara

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Zambia

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
73%
male:
81%
female:
65%

Zimbabwe

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
67%
male:
74%
female:
60%

Arctic Region

3 entries

Greenland

total population:
NA%
male:
NA% female:
NA%

Iceland

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1976)
total population:
100%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Svalbard

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Asia

22 entries

Afghanistan

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
29%
male:
44%
female:
14%

Armenia

  • age 9-49 can read and write (1970)
total population:
100%
male:
100%
female:
100%

Azerbaijan

  • age 9-49 can read and write (1970)
total population:
100%
male:
100%
female:
100%

Bangladesh

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
35%
male:
47%
female:
22%

Bhutan

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

China

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
73%
male:
84%
female:
62%

Georgia

  • age 9-49 can read and write (1970)
total population:
100%
male:
100%
female:
100%

India

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
48%
male:
62%
female:
34%

Japan

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1970)
total population:
99%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Kazakhstan

  • age 9-49 can read and write (1970)
total population:
100%
male:
100%
female:
100%

Korea, North now North Korea

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
99%
male:
99%
female:
99%

Korea, South now South Korea

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
96%
male:
99%
female:
94%

Kyrgyzstan

  • age 9-49 can read and write (1970)
total population:
100%
male:
100%
female:
100%

Maldives

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1985)
total population:
92%
male:
92%
female:
92%

Mongolia

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Nepal

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
26%
male:
38%
female:
13%

Pakistan

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
35%
male:
47%
female:
21%

Russia

  • age 9-49 can read and write (1970)
total population:
100%
male:
100%
female:
100%

Sri Lanka

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
88%
male:
93%
female:
84%

Tajikistan

  • age 9-49 can read and write (1970)
total population:
100%
male:
100%
female:
99%

Turkmenistan

  • age 9-49 can read and write (1970)
total population:
100%
male:
100%
female:
100%

Uzbekistan

  • age 9-49 can read and write (1970)
total population:
100%
male:
100%
female:
100%

Central America and the Caribbean

31 entries

Anguilla

  • age 12 and over can read and write (1984)
total population:
95%
male:
95%
female:
95%

Antigua and Barbuda

  • age 15 and over having completed 5 or more years of schooling (1960)
total population:
89%
male:
90%
female:
88%

Aruba

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

The Bahamas

  • age 15 and over but definition of literacy not available (1963)
total population:
90%
male:
90%
female:
89%

Barbados

  • age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970)
total population:
99%
male:
99%
female:
99%

Belize

  • age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970)
total population:
91%
male:
91%
female:
91%

British Virgin Islands

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1970)
total population:
98%
male:
98% female: 98%

Cayman Islands

  • age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970)
total population:
98%
male:
98%
female:
98%

Costa Rica

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
93%
male:
93%
female:
93%

Cuba

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
94%
male:
95%
female:
93%

Dominica

  • age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970)
total population:
94%
male:
94%
female:
94%

Dominican Republic

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
83%
male:
85%
female:
82%

El Salvador

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
73%
male:
76%
female:
70%

Grenada

  • age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970)
total population:
98%
male:
98%
female:
98%

Guadeloupe

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1982)
total population:
90%
male:
90%
female:
91%

Guatemala

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
55%
male:
63%
female:
47%

Haiti

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
53%
male:
59%
female:
47%

Honduras

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
73%
male:
76%
female:
71%

Jamaica

  • age 15 and over having ever attended school (1990)
total population:
98%
male:
98%
female:
99%

Martinique

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1982)
total population:
93%
male:
92%
female:
93%

Montserrat

  • age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970)
total population:
97%
male:
97%
female:
97%

Netherlands Antilles

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1981)
total population:
94%
male:
94%
female:
93%

Nicaragua

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1971)
total population:
57%
male:
57%
female:
57%

Panama

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
88%
male:
88%
female:
88%

Puerto Rico

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
89%
male:
90%
female:
88%

Saint Kitts and Nevis

  • age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970)
total population:
98%
male:
98%
female:
98%

Saint Lucia

  • age 15 and over having ever attended school (1980)
total population:
67%
male:
65%
female:
69%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

  • age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970)
total population:
96%
male:
96%
female:
96%

Trinidad and Tobago

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
95%
male:
97%
female:
93%

Turks and Caicos Islands

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1970)
total population:
98%
male:
99%
female:
98%

Virgin Islands

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Europe

46 entries

Albania

  • age 9 and over can read and write (1955)
total population:
72%
male:
80%
female:
63%

Andorra

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Austria

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1974)
total population:
99%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Belarus

  • age 9-49 can read and write (1970)
total population:
100%
male:
100%
female:
100%

Belgium

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
99%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Bosnia and Herzegovina

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Bulgaria

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1970)
total population:
93%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Croatia

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Czech Republic now Czechia

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Denmark

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
99%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Estonia

  • age 9-49 can read and write (1970)
total population:
100%
male:
100%
female:
100%

Faroe Islands

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Finland

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
100%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

France

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
99%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Germany

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1977 est.)
total population:
99%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Gibraltar

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Greece

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
93%
male:
98%
female:
89%

Guernsey

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Holy See (Vatican City)

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Hungary

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
99%
male:
99%
female:
98%

Ireland

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1981)
total population:
98%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Man, Isle of now Isle of Man

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Italy

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
97%
male:
98%
female:
96%

Jersey

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Latvia

  • age 9-49 can read and write (1970)
total population:
100%
male:
100%
female:
100%

Liechtenstein

  • age 10 and over can read and write (1981)
total population:
100%
male:
100%
female:
100%

Lithuania

  • age 9-49 can read and write (1970)
total population:
100%
male:
100%
female:
100%

Luxembourg

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
100%
male:
100%
female:
100%

Malta

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1985)
total population:
84%
male:
86%
female:
82%

Moldova

  • age 9-49 can read and write (1970)
total population:
100%
male:
100%
female:
99%

Monaco

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Netherlands

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1979)
total population:
99%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Macedonia now North Macedonia

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Norway

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1976)
total population:
99%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Poland

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1978)
total population:
98%
male:
99%
female:
98%

Portugal

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
85%
male:
89%
female:
82%

Romania

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1978)
total population:
98%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

San Marino

  • age 14 and over can read and write (1976)
total population:
96%
male:
96%
female:
95%

Serbia and Montenegro

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Slovakia

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Slovenia

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Spain

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
95%
male:
97%
female:
93%

Sweden

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1979)
total population:
99%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Switzerland

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
99%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Ukraine

  • age 9-49 can read and write (1970)
total population:
100%
male:
100%
female:
100%

United Kingdom

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1978)
total population:
99%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Middle East

17 entries

Bahrain

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
77%
male:
82%
female:
69%

Cyprus

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1987)
total population:
94%
male:
98%
female:
91%

Gaza Strip

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Iran

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
54%
male:
64%
female:
43%

Iraq

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
60%
male:
70%
female:
49%

Israel

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1983)
total population:
92%
male:
95%
female:
89%

Jordan

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
80%
male:
89%
female:
70%

Kuwait

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
73%
male:
77%
female:
67%

Lebanon

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
80%
male:
88%
female:
73%

Oman

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Qatar

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1986)
total population:
76%
male:
77%
female:
72%

Saudi Arabia

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
62%
male:
73%
female:
48%

Syria

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
64%
male:
78%
female:
51%

Turkey now Turkiye

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
81%
male:
90% female: 71%

United Arab Emirates

  • age 10 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
68%
male:
70%
female:
63%

West Bank

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Yemen

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
38%
male:
53%
female:
26%

North America

5 entries

Bermuda

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1970)
total population:
98%
male:
98%
female:
99%

Canada

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1981)
total population:
99%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Mexico

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
87%
male:
90%
female:
85%

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1982)
total population:
99%
male:
99%
female:
99%

United States

  • age 15 and over having completed 5 or more years of schooling (1991)
total population:
97.9%
male:
97.9%
female:
97.9%

Oceania

25 entries

American Samoa

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
97%
male:
97%
female:
97%

Australia

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
100%
male:
100%
female:
100%

Cook Islands

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Fiji

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1985)
total population:
86%
male:
90%
female:
81%

French Polynesia

  • age 14 and over but definition of literacy not available (1977)
total population:
98%
male:
98%
female:
98%

Guam

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
96%
male:
96%
female:
96%

Kiribati

total population:
NA%
male:
NA% female:
NA%

Marshall Islands

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
93%
male:
100%
female:
88%

Micronesia, Federated States of now Federated States of Micronesia

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
90%
male:
90%
female:
85%

Nauru

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

New Caledonia

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1976)
total population:
91%
male:
91%
female:
90%

New Zealand

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
99%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Niue

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Norfolk Island

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Northern Mariana Islands

  • age NA and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
97%
male:
97%
female:
96%

Pacific Islands, Trust Territory of the (Palau) now Palau

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
92%
male:
93%
female:
91%

Papua New Guinea

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
52%
male:
65%
female:
38%

Pitcairn Islands

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Western Samoa now Samoa

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1971)
total population:
97%
male:
97%
female:
97%

Solomon Islands

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Tokelau

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Tonga

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1976)
total population:
57%
male:
60%
female:
60%

Tuvalu

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Vanuatu

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1979)
total population:
53%
male:
57%
female:
48%

Wallis and Futuna

  • all ages can read and write (1969)
total population:
50%
male:
50%
female:
51%

South America

14 entries

Argentina

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
95%
male:
96%
female:
95%

Bolivia

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
78%
male:
85%
female:
71%

Brazil

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
81%
male:
82%
female:
80%

Chile

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
93%
male:
94%
female:
93%

Colombia

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
87%
male:
88%
female:
86%

Ecuador

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
86%
male:
88%
female:
84%

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

French Guiana

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1982)
total population:
82%
male:
81%
female:
83%

Guyana

  • age 15 and over having ever attended scool (1990)
total population:
95%
male:
98%
female:
96%

Paraguay

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
90%
male:
92%
female:
88%

Peru

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
85%
male:
92%
female:
29%

Suriname

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
95%
male:
95%
female:
95%

Uruguay

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
96%
male:
97%
female:
96%

Venezuela

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
88%
male:
87%
female:
90%

Southeast Asia

15 entries

Brunei

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1981)
total population:
77%
male:
85%
female:
69%

Burma now Burma (Myanmar)

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
81%
male:
89%
female:
72%

Cambodia

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
35%
male:
48%
female:
22%

Christmas Island

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%

Hong Kong

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1971)
total population:
77%
male:
90%
female:
64%

Indonesia

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
77%
male:
84%
female:
68%

Laos

  • age 15-45 can read and write (1985)
total population:
84%
male:
92%
female:
76%

Macau

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1981)
total population:
90%
male:
93%
female:
86%

Malaysia

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
78%
male:
86%
female:
70%

Philippines

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
90%
male:
90%
female:
90%

Singapore

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
88%
male:
93%
female:
84%

Taiwan

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
86%
male:
93%
female:
79%

Thailand

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
93%
male:
96%
female:
90%

Vietnam

  • age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
88%
male:
92%
female:
84%

Central Intelligence Agency. The World Factbook 1993, “Literacy”, all entries. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/fields/literacy/1993.

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