WUNRN
Literacy - UN Statistics show
significant disparity between female and male literacy in many countries. http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/indwm/tab4a.htm
The
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
defines a literate person as someone who can both read and write with
understanding, a short, simple statement on his or her everyday life.
Table 4a. Literacy |
||||||||||||
Last update: June 2009 |
||||||||||||
|
Year |
|
|
|
||||||||
Country or area |
|
|
|
Women |
Men |
|
Women |
Men |
||||
|
2000 |
|
|
13 |
|
43 |
|
|
18 |
|
51 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
99 |
|
99 |
|
|
99 |
|
99 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
66 |
|
84 |
|
|
91 |
|
94 |
|
|
2001 |
|
|
54 |
|
83 |
|
|
63 |
|
84 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
98 |
|
98 |
|
|
99 |
|
99 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
99 |
|
100 |
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
98 |
|
98 |
|
|
99 |
|
99 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
99 |
|
100 |
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
86 |
|
90 |
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
48 |
|
59 |
|
|
73 |
|
71 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
28 |
|
53 |
|
|
41 |
|
63 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
42 |
|
67 |
|
|
73 |
|
83 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
85 |
|
95 |
|
|
98 |
|
99 |
|
|
2000 |
|
|
94 |
|
99 |
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
83 |
|
83 |
|
|
95 |
|
93 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
91 |
|
90 |
|
|
99 |
|
97 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
93 |
|
96 |
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
98 |
|
99 |
|
|
97 |
|
98 |
|
|
2007 |
|
|
22 |
|
37 |
|
|
33 |
|
47 |
|
|
2000 |
|
|
52 |
|
67 |
|
|
70 |
|
77 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
68 |
|
86 |
|
|
83 |
|
90 |
|
|
2001 |
|
|
60 |
|
77 |
|
|
… |
|
… |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
79 |
|
89 |
|
|
98 |
|
97 |
|
|
2000 |
|
|
34 |
|
65 |
|
|
47 |
|
70 |
|
|
2000 |
|
|
13 |
|
41 |
|
|
23 |
|
56 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
97 |
|
97 |
|
|
99 |
|
99 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
90 |
|
96 |
|
|
99 |
|
99 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
90 |
|
96 |
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
93 |
|
94 |
|
|
98 |
|
98 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
70 |
|
80 |
|
|
87 |
|
92 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
82 |
|
92 |
|
|
98 |
|
99 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
96 |
|
96 |
|
|
98 |
|
98 |
|
|
2000 |
|
|
39 |
|
61 |
|
|
52 |
|
71 |
|
|
2007 |
|
|
98 |
|
99 |
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
97 |
|
99 |
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
2001 |
|
|
54 |
|
81 |
|
|
63 |
|
78 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
90 |
|
89 |
|
|
97 |
|
95 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
92 |
|
94 |
|
|
97 |
|
96 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
61 |
|
84 |
|
|
82 |
|
90 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
83 |
|
88 |
|
|
96 |
|
95 |
|
|
2000 |
|
|
80 |
|
93 |
|
|
95 |
|
95 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
2004 |
|
|
23 |
|
50 |
|
|
39 |
|
62 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
82 |
|
90 |
|
|
96 |
|
98 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
58 |
|
72 |
|
|
76 |
|
80 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
96 |
|
98 |
|
|
99 |
|
99 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
68 |
|
79 |
|
|
83 |
|
88 |
|
|
2003 |
|
|
18 |
|
43 |
|
|
34 |
|
59 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
54 |
|
75 |
|
|
87 |
|
94 |
|
|
2007 |
|
|
64 |
|
60 |
|
|
87 |
|
76 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
84 |
|
82 |
|
|
93 |
|
88 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
99 |
|
99 |
|
|
99 |
|
98 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
54 |
|
77 |
|
|
77 |
|
87 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
88 |
|
95 |
|
|
99 |
|
99 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
79 |
|
90 |
|
|
97 |
|
98 |
|
|
2000 |
|
|
64 |
|
84 |
|
|
80 |
|
89 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
99 |
|
99 |
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
91 |
|
81 |
|
|
98 |
|
91 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
89 |
|
97 |
|
|
99 |
|
99 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
99 |
|
100 |
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
2000 |
|
|
70 |
|
78 |
|
|
81 |
|
80 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
92 |
|
95 |
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
99 |
|
100 |
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
Lao People's Democratic Republic
|
2007 |
|
a |
67 |
|
80 |
|
|
80 |
|
85 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
2001 |
|
|
90 |
|
74 |
|
|
… |
|
… |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
51 |
|
60 |
|
|
76 |
|
68 |
|
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
|
2007 |
|
a |
78 |
|
94 |
|
|
98 |
|
100 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
2000 |
|
|
65 |
|
77 |
|
|
68 |
|
73 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
65 |
|
79 |
|
|
82 |
|
84 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
90 |
|
94 |
|
|
98 |
|
98 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
97 |
|
97 |
|
|
98 |
|
98 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
16 |
|
31 |
|
|
23 |
|
36 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
93 |
|
90 |
|
|
99 |
|
96 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
48 |
|
63 |
|
|
62 |
|
70 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
85 |
|
90 |
|
|
97 |
|
95 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
91 |
|
94 |
|
|
98 |
|
98 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
98 |
|
97 |
|
|
97 |
|
94 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
43 |
|
69 |
|
|
67 |
|
84 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
33 |
|
57 |
|
|
47 |
|
58 |
|
|
2000 |
|
|
86 |
|
94 |
|
|
93 |
|
96 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
87 |
|
89 |
|
|
94 |
|
91 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
44 |
|
70 |
|
|
73 |
|
85 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
96 |
|
96 |
|
|
98 |
|
98 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
81 |
|
80 |
|
|
92 |
|
85 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
16 |
|
44 |
|
|
26 |
|
53 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
64 |
|
80 |
|
|
85 |
|
89 |
|
Occupied |
2007 |
|
a |
89 |
|
97 |
|
|
99 |
|
99 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
78 |
|
89 |
|
|
98 |
|
99 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
40 |
|
69 |
|
|
60 |
|
79 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
93 |
|
94 |
|
|
96 |
|
97 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
53 |
|
62 |
|
|
65 |
|
63 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
93 |
|
94 |
|
|
97 |
|
96 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
86 |
|
95 |
|
|
97 |
|
99 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
94 |
|
93 |
|
|
95 |
|
94 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
99 |
|
100 |
|
|
99 |
|
100 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
93 |
|
97 |
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
90 |
|
90 |
|
|
98 |
|
97 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
99 |
|
100 |
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
97 |
|
98 |
|
|
98 |
|
97 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
99 |
|
100 |
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
2000 |
|
|
60 |
|
71 |
|
|
77 |
|
79 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
98 |
|
99 |
|
|
99 |
|
99 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
83 |
|
93 |
|
|
95 |
|
95 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
79 |
|
89 |
|
|
96 |
|
98 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
32 |
|
53 |
|
|
44 |
|
59 |
|
|
2002 |
|
|
92 |
|
91 |
|
|
99 |
|
99 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
27 |
|
50 |
|
|
44 |
|
64 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
92 |
|
97 |
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
87 |
|
89 |
|
|
96 |
|
95 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
96 |
|
99 |
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
90 |
|
93 |
|
|
98 |
|
97 |
|
|
2000 |
|
a |
52 |
|
71 |
|
|
71 |
|
85 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
88 |
|
93 |
|
|
95 |
|
96 |
|
|
2000 |
|
a |
78 |
|
81 |
|
|
90 |
|
87 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
76 |
|
90 |
|
|
92 |
|
95 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
93 |
|
96 |
|
|
98 |
|
98 |
|
The Former Yugoslav Rep. of |
2007 |
|
a |
95 |
|
99 |
|
|
99 |
|
99 |
|
|
2000 |
|
|
38 |
|
69 |
|
|
64 |
|
84 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
99 |
|
99 |
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
98 |
|
99 |
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
69 |
|
86 |
|
|
94 |
|
97 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
81 |
|
96 |
|
|
94 |
|
98 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
99 |
|
100 |
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
66 |
|
82 |
|
|
84 |
|
88 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
100 |
|
100 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
89 |
|
91 |
|
|
96 |
|
99 |
|
United |
2007 |
|
a |
66 |
|
79 |
|
|
76 |
|
79 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
98 |
|
98 |
|
|
99 |
|
98 |
|
|
2000 |
|
|
96 |
|
98 |
|
|
99 |
|
99 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
76 |
|
80 |
|
|
92 |
|
92 |
|
|
2001 |
|
|
93 |
|
93 |
|
|
98 |
|
96 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
40 |
|
77 |
|
|
67 |
|
93 |
|
|
2007 |
|
a |
88 |
|
94 |
|
|
99 |
|
98 |
|
|
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, National literacy rates for youths (15-24) and adults (15+), available from UIS website, http://www.uis.unesco.org (accessed June 2009).
Footnotes:
... |
Not
available. |
a |
UIS
estimation. |
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defines a literate person as someone who can both read and write with understanding, a short, simple statement on his or her everyday life. A person who can only read but not write, or can write but not read is considered to be illiterate. A person who can only write figures, his or her name or a memorized ritual phrase is also not considered literate.
This definition of literacy is widely used in national population censuses and surveys but its interpretation and application may vary to some extent among countries, depending on national, social and cultural circumstances. Furthermore, this concept of literacy includes persons who, though familiar with the basics of reading and writing, might still be considered functionally illiterate.
For many countries or areas, literacy rates are not available for one or more of the following reasons: (a) illiteracy is believed to have been reduced to minimal levels through several decades of universal primary education, (b) it has not been possible to establish revised estimates following recent mass literacy campaigns, (c) not even a minimal database is available for making rough estimates, or (d) countries have preferred that no estimate be published.
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