The CIA World Factbook Edition 1996 People
Literacy In 36 editions of 36.
Literacy was published in 36 editions of the CIA World Factbook, from 1990 to 2025. The 1996 edition carries it in 225 entries, in its People section. Every entry is shown as that edition published it.
entries in the 1996 edition 225
the first edition with it 1990
the latest edition with it 2025
Fields / People / Literacy
Published as “Literacy” (1990 to 2025).
Each 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.
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Entries with Literacy in each edition
1990 2000 2010 2020 2025 Select a bar to open that edition.
Order
By region
A to Z
As the CIA ranked them
Africa 56 entries
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 61.6%
male: 73.9%
female: 49%
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population: 42%
male: 56%
female: 28%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 37%
male: 48.7%
female: 25.8%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 69.8%
male: 80.5%
female: 59.9%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 19.2%
male: 29.5%
female: 9.2%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 35.3%
male: 49.3%
female: 22.5%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 71.6%
male: 81.4%
female: 63.8%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 63.4%
male: 75%
female: 52.1%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 60%
male: 68.5%
female: 52.4%
age 15 and over can read and write in French or Arabic (1995 est.)
total population: 48.1%
male: 62.1%
female: 34.7%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 57.3%
male: 64.2%
female: 50.4%
Zaire
now Democratic Republic of the Congo
age 15 and over can read and write in French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba (1995 est.)
total population: 77.3%
male: 86.6%
female: 67.7%
Congo
now Republic of the Congo
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 74.9%
male: 83.1%
female: 67.2%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 40.1%
male: 49.9%
female: 30%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 46.2%
male: 60.3%
female: 32.7%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 51.4%
male: 63.6%
female: 38.8%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 78.5%
male: 89.6%
female: 68.1%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 76.7%
male: 78%
female: 75.6%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 35.5%
male: 45.5%
female: 25.3%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 63.2%
male: 73.7%
female: 53.3%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 38.6%
male: 52.8%
female: 24.9%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 64.5%
male: 75.9%
female: 53.5%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 35.9%
male: 49.9%
female: 21.9%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 54.9%
male: 68%
female: 42.5%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 78.1%
male: 86.3%
female: 70%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 71.3%
male: 81.1%
female: 62.3%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 38.3%
male: 53.9%
female: 22.4%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 76.2%
male: 87.9%
female: 63%
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population: 80%
male: 88%
female: 73%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 56.4%
male: 71.9%
female: 41.8%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 31%
male: 39.4%
female: 23.1%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 37.7%
male: 49.6%
female: 26.3%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 82.9%
male: 87.1%
female: 78.8%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 43.7%
male: 56.6%
female: 31%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 40.1%
male: 57.7%
female: 23.3%
age 15 and over can read and write (1960 est.)
total population: 38%
male: 45%
female: 31%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 13.6%
male: 20.9%
female: 6.6%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 57.1%
male: 67.3%
female: 47.3%
age 15 and over can read and write (1982 est.)
total population: 79%
male: 76%
female: 80%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 60.5%
male: 69.8%
female: 51.6%
Saint Helena
now Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha
age 20 and over can read and write (1987 est.)
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 98%
age 15 and over can read and write (1991 est.)
total population: 73%
male: 85%
female: 62%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 33.1%
male: 43%
female: 23.2%
age 15 and over can read and write (1971 est.)
total population: 58%
male: 56%
female: 60%
age 15 and over can read and write in English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic (1995 est.)
total population: 31.4%
male: 45.4%
female: 18.2%
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population: 24%
male: 36%
female: 14%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 81.8%
male: 81.9%
female: 81.7%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 46.1%
male: 57.7%
female: 34.6%
age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili), English, or Arabic (1995 est.)
total population: 67.8%
male: 79.4%
female: 56.8%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 51.7%
male: 67%
female: 37%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 66.7%
male: 78.6%
female: 54.6%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 61.8%
male: 73.7%
female: 50.2%
age 15 and over can read and write in English (1995 est.)
total population: 78.2%
male: 85.6%
female: 71.3%
age 15 and over can read and write in English (1995 est.)
total population: 85%
male: 90%
female: 80%
Arctic Region 2 entries
age 15 and over can read and write (1976 est.)
total population: 100%
male: NA%
female: NA%
Asia 22 entries
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 31.5%
male: 47.2%
female: 15%
age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.) total population: 99% male: 99% female: 98%
age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.)
total population: 97%
male: 99%
female: 96%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 38.1%
male: 49.4%
female: 26.1%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 42.2%
male: 56.2%
female: 28.1%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 81.5%
male: 89.9%
female: 72.7%
age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.)
total population: 99%
male: 100%
female: 98%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 52%
male: 65.5%
female: 37.7%
age 15 and over can read and write (1970 est.)
total population: 99%
male: NA%
female: NA%
age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.)
total population: 98%
male: 99%
female: 96%
age 15 and over can read and write Korean (1990 est.)
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 98%
male: 99.3%
female: 96.7%
age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.)
total population: 97%
male: 99%
female: 96%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 93.2%
male: 93.3%
female: 93%
age 15 and over can read and write (1988 est.)
total population: 82.9%
male: 88.6%
female: 77.2%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 27.5%
male: 40.9%
female: 14%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 37.8%
male: 50%
female: 24.4%
age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.)
total population: 98%
male: 100%
female: 97%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 90.2%
male: 93.4%
female: 87.2%
age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.)
total population: 98%
male: 99%
female: 97%
age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.)
total population: 98%
male: 99%
female: 97%
age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.)
total population: 97%
male: 98%
female: 96%
Central America and the Caribbean 31 entries
age 12 and over can read and write (1984 est.)
total population: 95%
male: 95%
female: 95%
age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling (1960 est.)
total population: 89%
male: 90%
female: 88%
age 15 and over can read and write but definition of literacy not available (1995 est.)
total population: 98.2%
male: 98.5%
female: 98%
age 15 and over has ever attended school (1995 est.)
total population: 97.4%
male: 98%
female: 96.8%
age 14 and over has ever attended school (1991 est.)
total population: 70.3%
male: 70.3%
female: 70.3%
age 15 and over can read and write (1991 est.)
total population: 97.8%
male: NA%
female: NA%
age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970 est.)
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 94.8%
male: 94.7%
female: 95%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 95.7%
male: 96.2%
female: 95.3%
age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970 est.)
total population: 94%
male: 94%
female: 94%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 82.1%
male: 82%
female: 82.2%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 71.5%
male: 73.5%
female: 69.8%
age 15 and over can read and write (1970 est.)
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98%
age 15 and over can read and write (1982 est.)
total population: 90%
male: 90%
female: 90%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 55.6%
male: 62.5%
female: 48.6%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 45%
male: 48%
female: 42.2%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 72.7%
male: 72.6%
female: 72.7%
age 15 and over has ever attended school (1995 est.)
total population: 85%
male: 80.8%
female: 89.1%
age 15 and over can read and write (1982 est.)
total population: 93%
male: 92%
female: 93%
age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970 est.)
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 97%
age 15 and over can read and write (1981 est.)
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 99%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 65.7%
male: 64.6%
female: 66.6%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 90.8%
male: 91.4%
female: 90.2%
age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)
total population: 89%
male: 90%
female: 88%
age 15 and over has ever attended school (1980 est.)
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 98%
age 15 and over has ever attended school (1980 est.)
total population: 67%
male: 65%
female: 69%
age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970 est.)
total population: 96%
male: 96%
female: 96%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 97.9%
male: 98.8%
female: 97%
age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970 est.)
total population: 98%
male: 99%
female: 98%
Europe 45 entries
age 9 and over can read and write (1955 est.)
total population: 72%
male: 80%
female: 63%
age 15 and over can read and write (1974 est.)
total population: 99%
male: NA%
female: NA%
age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.)
total population: 98%
male: 99%
female: 97%
age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)
total population: 99%
male: NA%
female: NA%
age 15 and over can read and write (1992 est.)
total population: 98%
male: 99%
female: 97%
age 15 and over can read and write (1991 est.)
total population: 97%
male: 99%
female: 95%
age NA and over can read and write (est.)
total population: 99%
male: NA%
female: NA%
age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)
total population: 99%
male: NA%
female: NA%
age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.)
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100%
age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)
total population: 100%
male: NA%
female: NA%
age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)
total population: 99%
male: NA%
female: NA%
age 15 and over can read and write (1977 est.)
total population: 99%
male: NA%
female: NA%
age 15 and over can read and write (1991 est.) total population: 95% male: 98% female: 93%
age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 98%
age 15 and over can read and write (1981 est.)
total population: 98%
male: NA%
female: NA%
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population: 97%
male: 98%
female: 96%
age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.)
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 99%
age 10 and over can read and write (1981 est.)
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100%
age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.)
total population: 98%
male: 99%
female: 98%
age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.) total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%
age 15 and over can read and write (1985 est.) total population: 84% male: 86% female: 82%
age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.)
total population: 96%
male: 99%
female: 94%
age 15 and over can read and write (1979 est.)
total population: 99%
male: NA%
female: NA%
age 15 and over can read and write (1976 est.)
total population: 99%
male: NA%
female: NA%
age 15 and over can read and write (1978 est.)
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 98%
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population: 85%
male: 89%
female: 82%
age 15 and over can read and write (1992 est.)
total population: 97%
male: 98%
female: 95%
age 10 and over can read and write (1976 est.)
total population: 96%
male: 97%
female: 95%
age 15 and over can read and write (1986 est.)
total population: 96%
male: 98%
female: 94%
age 15 and over can read and write (1979 est.)
total population: 99%
male: NA%
female: NA%
age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)
total population: 99%
male: NA%
female: NA%
age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.)
total population: 98%
male: 100%
female: 97%
age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling (1978 est.)
total population: 99%
male: NA%
female: NA%
Middle East 17 entries
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 85.2%
male: 89.1%
female: 79.4%
age 15 and over can read and write (1987 est.)
total population: 94%
male: 98%
female: 91%
age 15 and over can read and write (1994 est.)
total population: 72.1%
male: 78.4%
female: 65.8%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 58%
male: 70.7%
female: 45%
age 15 and over can read and write (1992 est.)
total population: 95%
male: 97%
female: 93%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 86.6%
male: 93.4%
female: 79.4%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 78.6%
male: 82.2%
female: 74.9%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 92.4%
male: 94.7%
female: 90.3%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 79.4%
male: 79.2%
female: 79.9%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 62.8%
male: 71.5%
female: 50.2%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 70.8%
male: 85.7%
female: 55.8%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 82.3%
male: 91.7%
female: 72.4%
age 15 and over can read and write but definition of literacy not available (1995 est.)
total population: 79.2%
male: 78.9%
female: 79.8%
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population: 38%
male: 53%
female: 26%
North America 5 entries
age 15 and over can read and write (1970 est.)
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 99%
age 15 and over can read and write (1986 est.)
total population: 97%
male: NA%
female: NA%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 89.6%
male: 91.8%
female: 87.4%
age 15 and over can read and write (1982 est.)
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99%
age 15 and over can read and write (1979 est.)
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 97%
Oceania 21 entries
age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)
total population: 97%
male: 98%
female: 97%
age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 91.6%
male: 93.8%
female: 89.3%
age 14 and over can read and write, but definition of literacy not available (1977 est.)
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98%
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99%
age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)
total population: 93%
male: 100%
female: 88%
age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)
total population: 89%
male: 91%
female: 88%
age 15 and over can read and write (1976 est.)
total population: 91%
male: 92%
female: 90%
age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)
total population: 99%
age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 96%
age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)
total population: 92%
male: 93%
female: 90%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 72.2%
male: 81%
female: 62.7%
age 15 and over can read and write (1971 est.)
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 97%
age 15 and over can read and write a simple message in Tongan or English (1976 est.)
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100%
age 15 and over can read and write (1979 est.)
total population: 53%
male: 57%
female: 48%
age 15 and over can read and write (1969 est.)
total population: 50%
male: 50%
female: 50%
South America 13 entries
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 96.2%
male: 96.2%
female: 96.2%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 83.1%
male: 90.5%
female: 76%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 83.3%
male: 83.3%
female: 83.2%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 95.2%
male: 95.4%
female: 95%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 91.3%
male: 91.2%
female: 91.4%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 90.1%
male: 92%
female: 88.2%
age 15 and over can read and write (1982 est.)
total population: 83%
male: 84%
female: 82%
age 15 and over has ever attended school (1995 est.)
total population: 98.1%
male: 98.6%
female: 97.5%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 92.1%
male: 93.5%
female: 90.6%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 88.7%
male: 94.5%
female: 83%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 93%
male: 95.1%
female: 91%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 97.3%
male: 96.9%
female: 97.7%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 91.1% male: 91.8% female: 90.3%
Southeast Asia 13 entries
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 88.2%
male: 92.6%
female: 83.4%
Burma
now Burma (Myanmar)
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 83.1%
male: 88.7%
female: 77.7%
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population: 35%
male: 48%
female: 22%
age 15 and over has ever attended school (1995 est.)
total population: 92.2%
male: 96%
female: 88.2%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 83.8%
male: 89.6%
female: 78%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 56.6%
male: 69.4%
female: 44.4%
age 15 and over can read and write (1981 est.)
total population: 90%
male: 93%
female: 86%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 83.5%
male: 89.1%
female: 78.1%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 94.6%
male: 95%
female: 94.3%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 91.1%
male: 95.9%
female: 86.3%
age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)
total population: 86%
male: 93%
female: 79%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 93.8%
male: 96%
female: 91.6%
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 93.7%
male: 96.5%
female: 91.2%
Cite this page
Central Intelligence Agency. The World Factbook 1996, “Literacy”, all entries. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/fields/literacy/1996.