Literacy
Statistics and Indicators on Women and Men
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Introduction | Statistics | Standards and methods
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Table
4a. Literacy
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Last update: December 2009
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|
Year
|
|
|
Adult (15+) literacy rate
|
|
Youth (15-24) literacy rate
|
Country or area
|
|
|
|
Women
|
Men
|
|
Women
|
Men
|
Afghanistan
|
2000
|
|
|
13
|
43
|
|
18
|
51
|
Albania
|
2007
|
|
a
|
99
|
99
|
|
99
|
99
|
Algeria
|
2007
|
|
a
|
66
|
84
|
|
91
|
94
|
Angola
|
2001
|
|
|
54
|
83
|
|
63
|
84
|
Antigua and Barbuda
|
2004
|
|
|
99
|
98
|
|
...
|
...
|
Argentina
|
2007
|
|
a
|
98
|
98
|
|
99
|
99
|
Armenia
|
2007
|
|
a
|
99
|
100
|
|
100
|
100
|
Aruba
|
2007
|
|
a
|
98
|
98
|
|
99
|
99
|
Azerbaijan
|
2007
|
|
|
99
|
100
|
|
100
|
100
|
Bahrain
|
2007
|
|
a
|
86
|
90
|
|
100
|
100
|
Bangladesh
|
2007
|
|
a
|
48
|
59
|
|
73
|
71
|
Belarus
|
2007
|
|
a
|
100
|
100
|
|
100
|
100
|
Benin
|
2007
|
|
a
|
28
|
53
|
|
41
|
63
|
Bhutan
|
2005
|
|
|
39
|
65
|
|
68
|
80
|
Bolivia
|
2007
|
|
|
86
|
96
|
|
99
|
100
|
Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
2000
|
|
|
94
|
99
|
|
100
|
100
|
Botswana
|
2007
|
|
a
|
83
|
83
|
|
95
|
93
|
Brazil
|
2007
|
|
|
90
|
90
|
|
99
|
97
|
Brunei Darussalam
|
2007
|
|
a
|
93
|
96
|
|
100
|
100
|
Bulgaria
|
2007
|
|
a
|
98
|
99
|
|
97
|
98
|
Burkina Faso
|
2007
|
|
|
22
|
37
|
|
33
|
47
|
Burundi
|
2000
|
|
|
52
|
67
|
|
70
|
77
|
Cambodia
|
2007
|
|
a
|
68
|
86
|
|
83
|
90
|
Cameroon
|
2001
|
|
|
60
|
77
|
|
...
|
...
|
Cape Verde
|
2007
|
|
a
|
79
|
89
|
|
98
|
97
|
Cayman
Islands
|
2007
|
|
|
99
|
99
|
|
99
|
99
|
Central African Republic
|
2000
|
|
|
33
|
65
|
|
47
|
70
|
Chad
|
2007
|
|
a
|
21
|
43
|
|
35
|
53
|
Chile
|
2007
|
|
a
|
96
|
97
|
|
99
|
99
|
China
|
2007
|
|
a
|
90
|
96
|
|
99
|
99
|
China, Macao SAR
|
2006
|
|
|
91
|
96
|
|
100
|
100
|
Colombia
|
2007
|
|
|
93
|
92
|
|
98
|
97
|
Comoros
|
2007
|
|
a
|
70
|
80
|
|
87
|
92
|
Costa Rica
|
2007
|
|
a
|
96
|
96
|
|
98
|
98
|
Côte d'Ivoire
|
2000
|
|
|
39
|
61
|
|
52
|
71
|
Croatia
|
2007
|
|
a
|
98
|
99
|
|
100
|
100
|
Cuba
|
2007
|
|
a
|
100
|
100
|
|
100
|
100
|
Cyprus
|
2007
|
|
a
|
97
|
99
|
|
100
|
100
|
Democratic Republic of the Congo
|
2001
|
|
|
54
|
81
|
|
63
|
78
|
Dominican Republic
|
2007
|
|
a
|
90
|
89
|
|
97
|
95
|
Ecuador
|
2007
|
|
|
82
|
87
|
|
96
|
95
|
Egypt
|
2006
|
|
|
58
|
75
|
|
82
|
88
|
El Salvador
|
2007
|
|
|
80
|
85
|
|
94
|
93
|
Equatorial Guinea
|
2000
|
|
|
80
|
93
|
|
95
|
95
|
Eritrea
|
2007
|
|
a
|
53
|
76
|
|
83
|
90
|
Estonia
|
2007
|
|
a
|
100
|
100
|
|
100
|
100
|
Ethiopia
|
2007
|
|
a
|
23
|
50
|
|
39
|
62
|
Gabon
|
2007
|
|
a
|
82
|
90
|
|
96
|
98
|
Ghana
|
2007
|
|
a
|
58
|
72
|
|
76
|
80
|
Greece
|
2007
|
|
a
|
96
|
98
|
|
99
|
99
|
Guatemala
|
2007
|
|
a
|
68
|
79
|
|
83
|
88
|
Guinea
|
2003
|
|
|
18
|
43
|
|
34
|
59
|
Honduras
|
2007
|
|
|
83
|
84
|
|
95
|
93
|
Hungary
|
2007
|
|
a
|
99
|
99
|
|
99
|
98
|
India
|
2007
|
|
a
|
54
|
77
|
|
77
|
87
|
Indonesia
|
2006
|
|
|
89
|
95
|
|
96
|
97
|
Iran, Islamic Republic of
|
2006
|
|
|
77
|
87
|
|
96
|
97
|
Iraq
|
2000
|
|
|
64
|
84
|
|
80
|
89
|
Italy
|
2007
|
|
a
|
99
|
99
|
|
100
|
100
|
Jamaica
|
2007
|
|
a
|
91
|
81
|
|
98
|
91
|
Jordan
|
2005
|
|
|
87
|
95
|
|
99
|
99
|
Kazakhstan
|
2007
|
|
a
|
99
|
100
|
|
100
|
100
|
Kenya
|
2000
|
|
|
70
|
78
|
|
81
|
80
|
Kuwait
|
2007
|
|
|
93
|
95
|
|
99
|
98
|
Kyrgyzstan
|
2007
|
|
a
|
99
|
100
|
|
100
|
100
|
Lao People's Democratic Republic
|
2005
|
|
|
63
|
82
|
|
79
|
89
|
Latvia
|
2007
|
|
a
|
100
|
100
|
|
100
|
100
|
Lebanon
|
2007
|
|
|
86
|
93
|
|
99
|
98
|
Lesotho
|
2001
|
|
|
90
|
74
|
|
...
|
...
|
Liberia
|
2007
|
|
a
|
51
|
60
|
|
76
|
68
|
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
|
2007
|
|
a
|
78
|
94
|
|
98
|
100
|
Lithuania
|
2007
|
|
a
|
100
|
100
|
|
100
|
100
|
Madagascar
|
2000
|
|
|
65
|
77
|
|
68
|
73
|
Malawi
|
2007
|
|
a
|
65
|
79
|
|
82
|
84
|
Malaysia
|
2007
|
|
a
|
90
|
94
|
|
98
|
98
|
Maldives
|
2007
|
|
a
|
97
|
97
|
|
98
|
98
|
Mali
|
2006
|
|
|
18
|
35
|
|
31
|
47
|
Malta
|
2005
|
|
|
94
|
91
|
|
99
|
97
|
Mauritania
|
2007
|
|
a
|
48
|
63
|
|
62
|
70
|
Mauritius
|
2007
|
|
a
|
85
|
90
|
|
97
|
95
|
Mexico
|
2007
|
|
|
91
|
94
|
|
98
|
98
|
Mongolia
|
2007
|
|
a
|
98
|
97
|
|
97
|
94
|
Morocco
|
2007
|
|
a
|
43
|
69
|
|
67
|
84
|
Mozambique
|
2007
|
|
a
|
33
|
57
|
|
47
|
58
|
Myanmar
|
2000
|
|
|
86
|
94
|
|
93
|
96
|
Namibia
|
2007
|
|
a
|
87
|
89
|
|
94
|
91
|
Nepal
|
2007
|
|
a
|
44
|
70
|
|
73
|
85
|
Netherlands
Antilles
|
2007
|
|
a
|
96
|
96
|
|
98
|
98
|
Nicaragua
|
2005
|
|
|
78
|
78
|
|
89
|
85
|
Niger
|
2005
|
|
|
15
|
43
|
|
23
|
52
|
Nigeria
|
2007
|
|
a
|
64
|
80
|
|
85
|
89
|
Occupied Palestinian Territory
|
2007
|
|
|
90
|
97
|
|
99
|
99
|
Oman
|
2007
|
|
a
|
77
|
89
|
|
98
|
99
|
Pakistan
|
2006
|
|
|
40
|
68
|
|
58
|
79
|
Panama
|
2007
|
|
a
|
93
|
94
|
|
96
|
97
|
Papua New Guinea
|
2007
|
|
a
|
53
|
62
|
|
65
|
63
|
Paraguay
|
2007
|
|
|
93
|
96
|
|
99
|
99
|
Peru
|
2007
|
|
|
85
|
95
|
|
97
|
98
|
Philippines
|
2007
|
|
a
|
94
|
93
|
|
95
|
94
|
Poland
|
2007
|
|
a
|
99
|
100
|
|
99
|
100
|
Portugal
|
2007
|
|
a
|
93
|
97
|
|
100
|
100
|
Qatar
|
2007
|
|
|
90
|
94
|
|
99
|
99
|
Republic of Moldova
|
2007
|
|
a
|
99
|
100
|
|
100
|
100
|
Romania
|
2007
|
|
a
|
97
|
98
|
|
98
|
97
|
Russian Federation
|
2007
|
|
a
|
99
|
100
|
|
100
|
100
|
Rwanda
|
2000
|
|
|
60
|
71
|
|
77
|
79
|
Samoa
|
2007
|
|
a
|
98
|
99
|
|
99
|
99
|
Sao Tome and Principe
|
2007
|
|
a
|
83
|
93
|
|
95
|
95
|
Saudi Arabia
|
2007
|
|
a
|
79
|
89
|
|
96
|
98
|
Senegal
|
2006
|
|
|
33
|
52
|
|
45
|
58
|
Seychelles
|
2002
|
|
|
92
|
91
|
|
99
|
99
|
Sierra Leone
|
2007
|
|
a
|
27
|
50
|
|
44
|
64
|
Singapore
|
2007
|
|
a
|
92
|
97
|
|
100
|
100
|
Slovenia
|
2007
|
|
a
|
100
|
100
|
|
100
|
100
|
South Africa
|
2007
|
|
a
|
87
|
89
|
|
96
|
95
|
Spain
|
2007
|
|
|
97
|
99
|
|
100
|
100
|
Sri Lanka
|
2006
|
|
|
89
|
93
|
|
98
|
97
|
Sudan
|
2000
|
|
|
52
|
71
|
|
71
|
85
|
Suriname
|
2007
|
|
a
|
88
|
93
|
|
95
|
96
|
Swaziland
|
2007
|
|
a
|
84
|
84
|
|
96
|
92
|
Syrian
Arab Republic
|
2007
|
|
a
|
76
|
90
|
|
92
|
95
|
Tajikistan
|
2007
|
|
a
|
100
|
100
|
|
100
|
100
|
TFYR of Macedonia
|
2007
|
|
a
|
95
|
99
|
|
99
|
99
|
Thailand
|
2007
|
|
a
|
93
|
96
|
|
98
|
98
|
Togo
|
2000
|
|
|
38
|
69
|
|
64
|
84
|
Tonga
|
2007
|
|
a
|
99
|
99
|
|
100
|
100
|
Trinidad and Tobago
|
2007
|
|
a
|
98
|
99
|
|
100
|
100
|
Tunisia
|
2007
|
|
a
|
69
|
86
|
|
94
|
97
|
Turkey
|
2007
|
|
|
81
|
96
|
|
94
|
99
|
Turkmenistan
|
2007
|
|
a
|
99
|
100
|
|
100
|
100
|
Uganda
|
2007
|
|
a
|
66
|
82
|
|
84
|
88
|
Ukraine
|
2007
|
|
a
|
100
|
100
|
|
100
|
100
|
United Arab Emirates
|
2005
|
|
|
91
|
89
|
|
97
|
94
|
United Republic of Tanzania
|
2007
|
|
a
|
66
|
79
|
|
76
|
79
|
Uruguay
|
2007
|
|
|
98
|
97
|
|
99
|
98
|
Uzbekistan
|
2000
|
|
|
96
|
98
|
|
99
|
99
|
Vanuatu
|
2007
|
|
a
|
76
|
80
|
|
92
|
92
|
Venezuela
|
2007
|
|
|
95
|
95
|
|
99
|
98
|
Vietnam
|
1999
|
|
|
87
|
94
|
|
94
|
94
|
Yemen
|
2007
|
|
a
|
40
|
77
|
|
67
|
93
|
Zambia
|
2007
|
|
a
|
61
|
81
|
|
68
|
82
|
Zimbabwe
|
2007
|
|
a
|
88
|
94
|
|
88
|
94
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sources:
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, National literacy rates for youths (15-24) and adults (15+),
available from UIS website, http://www.uis.unesco.org
(accessed December 2009).
Footnotes:
...
|
Not available.
|
a
|
UIS estimation.
|
Top
Technical
notes:
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.
|