The CIA World Factbook Edition 2023 People and Society
Literacy In 36 editions of 36.
Literacy was published in 36 editions of the CIA World Factbook, from 1990 to 2025. The 2023 edition carries it in 234 entries, in its People and Society section. Every entry is shown as that edition published it.
entries in the 2023 edition 234
the first edition with it 1990
the latest edition with it 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
World 1 entry
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 86.7%
male: 90.1%
female: 83.3% (2020) note: more than three quarters of the world's 750 million illiterate adults are found in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa; of all the illiterate adults in the world, almost two thirds are women (2016)
Africa 55 entries
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 81.4%
male: 87.4%
female: 75.3% (2018)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 71.1%
male: 82.6%
female: 62.4% (2015)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 45.8%
male: 56.9%
female: 35% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.5%
male: 88%
female: 88.9% (2015)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 46%
male: 54.5%
female: 37.8% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 74.7%
male: 81.3%
female: 68.4% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90.8%
male: 94.2%
female: 87.4% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 77.1%
male: 82.6%
female: 71.6% (2018)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 37.4%
male: 49.5%
female: 25.8% (2018)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic
total population: 26.8%
male: 35.4%
female: 18.2% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 62%
male: 67%
female: 56.9% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba
total population: 80%
male: 89.5%
female: 70.8% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 80.6%
male: 85.9%
female: 75.4% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89.9%
male: 93.1%
female: 86.7% (2019)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 73.1%
male: 78.8%
female: 67.4% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.3%
male: 97.4%
female: 93% (2015)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.6%
male: 84.4%
female: 68.9% (2018)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.4%
male: 88.3%
female: 88.5% (2018)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 51.8%
male: 57.2%
female: 44.4% (2017)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85.5%
male: 86.2%
female: 84.7% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 58.1%
male: 65.2%
female: 51.2% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79%
male: 83.5%
female: 74.5% (2018)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 45.3%
male: 61.2%
female: 31.3% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 52.9%
male: 67%
female: 39.9% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.6%
male: 85.5%
female: 79.8% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 81%
male: 72.9%
female: 88.8% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 48.3%
male: 62.7%
female: 34.1% (2017)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91%
male: 96.7%
female: 85.6% (2015)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 77.3%
male: 78.8%
female: 75.8% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 67.3%
male: 71.2%
female: 63.7% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 35.5%
male: 46.2%
female: 25.7% (2018)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 67%
male: 71.8%
female: 62.2% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.2%
male: 93.5%
female: 90.5% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 75.9%
male: 84.8%
female: 67.4% (2021) note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 63.4%
male: 74.1%
female: 53.8% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.3%
male: 90.6%
female: 92.3% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 37.3%
male: 45.8%
female: 29% (2018)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 62%
male: 71.3%
female: 52.7% (2018)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 75.9%
male: 78.7%
female: 73.3% (2021)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.8%
male: 96.5%
female: 91.1% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 56.3%
male: 68.4%
female: 45.4% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.9%
male: 95.4%
female: 96.4% (2018)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic
total population: 47.7%
male: 55.3%
female: 39.8% (2021)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95%
male: 95.5%
female: 94.5% (2019)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 34.5%
male: 40.3%
female: 28.9% (2018)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 60.7%
male: 65.4%
female: 56.1% (2018)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili), English, or Arabic
total population: 81.8%
male: 85.5%
female: 78.2% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 66.5%
male: 80%
female: 55.1% (2019)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.7%
male: 89.1%
female: 82.7% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79%
male: 84%
female: 74.3% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
total population: 86.7%
male: 90.6%
female: 83.1% (2018)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
total population: 89.7%
male: 88.3%
female: 89.7% (2021)
Arctic Region 3 entries
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (2015)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
Asia 22 entries
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 37.3%
male: 52.1%
female: 22.6% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.7% (2020)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.9%
female: 99.7% (2019)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 74.9%
male: 77.8%
female: 72% (2020)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 70.9%
male: 77.9%
female: 62.8% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.8%
male: 98.5%
female: 95.2% (2018)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.6%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.5% (2019)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 74.4%
male: 82.4%
female: 65.8% (2018)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.7% (2018)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (2015)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.6%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.5% (2018)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.9%
male: 97.6%
female: 98.4% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.2%
male: 99.1%
female: 99.2% (2020)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 71.2%
male: 81%
female: 63.3% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 58%
male: 69.3%
female: 46.5% (2019)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.7%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.7% (2018)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.3%
male: 93%
female: 91.6% (2019)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.7% (2015)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.7%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.6% (2015)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (2019)
Central America and the Caribbean 31 entries
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling
total population: 99%
male: 98.4%
female: 99.4% (2015)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.8%
male: 97.8%
female: 97.8% (2018)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.6%
male: 99.6%
female: 99.6% (2014)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: 98.9% NA
male: 98.7% NA
female: 99% (2021) NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98.1% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.7%
male: 99.6%
female: 99.7% (2021)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.2%
male: 95.1%
female: 95.3% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89.1%
male: 91.3%
female: 87.3% (2019)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.6%
male: 98.6%
female: 98.6% (2014 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83.3%
male: 87.7%
female: 79.3% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 61.7%
male: 65.3%
female: 58.3% (2016)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.5%
male: 88.2%
female: 88.7% (2019)
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 88.7%
male: 84%
female: 93.1% (2015)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.6%
male: 82.4%
female: 82.8% (2015)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.7%
male: 98.8%
female: 95.4% (2019)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.4%
male: 92.4%
female: 92.4% (2021)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99.2%
female: 98.7% (2015)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
Europe 48 entries
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.4%
male: 98.7%
female: 98.2% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (2016)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.9%
male: 99.9%
female: 99.9% (2019)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.1%
male: 99.4%
female: 98.1% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.4%
male: 98.7%
female: 98.2% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.4%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.2% (2021)
definition: NA
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2011)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.9%
male: 99.9%
female: 99.9% (2021)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.9%
male: 98.5%
female: 97.4% (2018)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.1%
male: 99.1%
female: 99.1% (2021)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.2%
male: 99.4%
female: 99% (2018)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.9%
male: 99.9%
female: 99.9% (2021)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.8% (2021)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.9%
male: 93.4%
female: 96.4% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.6%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.5% (2021)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99.4%
female: 98.5% (2021)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.4%
male: 99.1%
female: 97.6% (2020)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.8% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.9%
male: 97.8%
female: 95.9% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.9%
male: 99.1%
female: 98.7% (2021)
total population: 99.9%
male: 99.9%
female: 99.9% (2018)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.5%
male: 99.9%
female: 99.1% (2019)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: NA
total population: 99.7%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.7% (2015)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.6%
male: 99%
female: 98.2% (2020)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (2021)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
Middle East 17 entries
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.5%
male: 99.9%
female: 94.9% (2018)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.4%
male: 99.6%
female: 99.2% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.5%
male: 98.8%
female: 96.2% (2020) note: estimates are for Gaza Strip and the West Bank
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.7%
male: 92.4%
female: 88.7% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85.6%
male: 91.2%
female: 79.9% (2017)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.8%
male: 98.7%
female: 96.8% (2011)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.4%
male: 98.7%
female: 98.4% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.5%
male: 97.1%
female: 95.4% (2020)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.1%
male: 96.9%
female: 93.3% (2018)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.7%
male: 97%
female: 92.7% (2018)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.5%
male: 92.4%
female: 94.7% (2017)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.6%
male: 98.6%
female: 96% (2020)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 86.4%
male: 91.7%
female: 81% (2015)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.7%
male: 99.1%
female: 94.4% (2019)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.1%
male: 98.8%
female: 97.2% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.5%
male: 98.8%
female: 96.2% (2020) note: estimates are for Gaza and the West Bank
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 70.1%
male: 85.1%
female: 55% (2015)
North America 5 entries
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.2%
male: 96.1%
female: 94.5% (2020)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
Oceania 25 entries
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: 99.1%
male: 99.1%
female: 99.1% (2018)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.3%
male: 98.3%
female: 98.2% (2011)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.9%
male: 97.3%
female: 96.5% (2015)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.6%
male: 96.8%
female: 96.3% (2015)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 64.2%
male: 65.6%
female: 62.8% (2015)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.1%
male: 99%
female: 99.3% (2021)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English
total population: 99.4%
male: 99.4%
female: 99.5% (2021)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89.1%
male: 89.8%
female: 88.4% (2021)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
South America 13 entries
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 98.9%
female: 99.1% (2018)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.5%
male: 96.5%
female: 88.6% (2015)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.3%
male: 94.1%
female: 94.5% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 97.1%
female: 97% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.6%
male: 95.4%
female: 95.9% (2020)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.5%
male: 94.9%
female: 94% (2021)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 88.8%
male: 89.3%
female: 88.4% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.5%
male: 94.9%
female: 94.2% (2020)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.5%
male: 97%
female: 92% (2020)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95%
male: 96.5%
female: 93.4% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.8%
male: 98.5%
female: 99% (2019)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.5%
male: 97.4%
female: 97.7% (2021)
Southeast Asia 14 entries
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.6%
male: 98.3%
female: 96.9% (2021)
Burma
now Burma (Myanmar)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89.1%
male: 92.4%
female: 86.3% (2019) note: most public schools were closed immediately after the coup in 2021, and attendance remained low since schools reopened; literacy is expected to decline from 2019 to 2023
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83.9%
male: 88.4%
female: 79.8% (2021)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96%
male: 97.4%
female: 94.6% (2020)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 87.1%
male: 91.4%
female: 81.4% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.1%
male: 98.5%
female: 95.9% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95%
male: 96.2%
female: 93.6% (2019)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.3%
male: 95.7%
female: 96.9% (2019)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.5%
male: 98.9%
female: 96.1% (2019)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.5%
male: 99.7%
female: 97.3% (2014)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.1%
male: 95.5%
female: 92.8% (2021)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 68.1%
male: 71.9%
female: 64.2% (2018)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.8%
male: 97%
female: 94.6% (2019)
Cite this page
Central Intelligence Agency. The World Factbook 2023, “Literacy”, all entries. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/fields/literacy/2023.