Definition: This entry includes a definition of literacy and Census Bureau percentages for the total population, males, and females. There are no universal definitions and standards of literacy. Unless otherwise specified, all rates are based on the most common definition - the ability to read and write at a specified age. Detailing the standards that individual countries use to assess the ability to read and write is beyond the scope of the Factbook. Information on literacy, while not a perfect measure of educational results, is probably the most easily available and valid for international comparisons. Low levels of literacy, and education in general, can impede the economic development of a country in the current rapidly changing, technology-driven world.
Source: CIA World Factbook - Unless otherwise noted, information in this page is accurate as of January 1, 2012
See also: Literacy mapRelated News
Improving women's financial literacy, worldwide
Minuteman News Center - 5/17/2013 10:12:13 AM
On the question of whether financial literacy hinges on access to traditional bank ... among the biggest financial hurdles an overwhelming number of women in her country face is their status as single mothers – around 56 percent.
America’s women face unique financial literacy needs
FOX News - 5/18/2013 2:04:16 AM
For years, those of us who toil in the field of improving financial literacy in the U.S. have assumed that women face economic hurdles that men never see. Now we have the data to prove it. Most troubling, American women are far less likely than ...
Literacy in the Middle East and North Africa
Council on Foreign Relations - 5/6/2013 6:03:23 PM
As the 2002 Arab Human Development Report noted, adult literacy in the Arab world is shamefully low–and lower than the average in developing countries. However, countries are making efforts to tackle their literacy challenges. The above ...
Tripura to emerge as fully literate state by September
articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com - 4/12/2013 3:47:12 PM
AGARTALA: Tripura will emerge as a total literate state in the country before World Literacy Day on September 8, a minister said today. A meeting of the State Literacy Mission Authority presided by Chief Minister Manik Sarkar reviewed the status ...
Watertown welcomes new citizens at naturalization ceremony
Abington Mariner - 5/15/2013 1:17:43 AM
Another Project Literacy student, Hamlet Karapetyan, then led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance. This was followed by a video from President Obama, in which he congratulated and welcomed the new citizens to America, a country “which has always been ...
Americans: The world’s sleepiest students
Washington Post - 5/17/2013 6:44:37 AM
Who are the world’s sleepiest students? It’s the Americans, according to an analysis by Boston College researchers of data that was part of the 2011 international exams known as the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study ...
Personal finance: Improving women’s financial literacy, worldwide
Hazard Herald - 5/14/2013 6:26:42 AM
Fascinating details revealed include: Richard Cordray, Director of the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, noted that “a large majority of K-12 teachers say that personal finance should be taught in school, yet less than a third say they’ve ...
The Cost of Democracy: Third World Africa
News24 - 5/6/2013 9:06:31 AM
Education costs money. We shall not dwell too much on education as we’ve seen in some third world African countries, high literacy rates do not always translate into peaceful and successful elections and a sound democracy. Libya records an impressive 82 ...
New Study Reveals Workers Around the World are Unprepared for Retirement
eon.businesswire.com - 5/14/2013 3:42:04 AM
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--New research from nonprofit foundation Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies® in collaboration with Aegon shows a lack of retirement preparedness among workers in the U.S. and around the world. The Changing Face of ...
Solar Lamp Countries And The Developing World
EarthTechling - 5/6/2013 8:05:05 PM
Across the developing world, retailers are selling solar-powered portable lamps that can meet basic lighting ... unfamiliar products among customers with very little purchasing power. With the help of an in-country partner, he developed an ...
Sector estimated at $44.9b in GCC
Arab Times - 5/18/2013 5:39:01 AM
Therefore, a large number of students (approximately 182,000 in 2009) head abroad in search of better education every year. Data from UNESCO indicates that the most preferred education destinations for MENA students are France, the UK ...
Rwanda: Gakenke Moves Towards 'zero Illiteracy'
AllAfrica - 5/17/2013 7:13:15 AM
The adult literacy programme seeks to minimise illiteracy as the country moves toward a population that can read and write. Mayor Deograthias Nzamwita said the district's goal is to eradicate illiteracy by the end of next year. "We had more than 18,000 ...
Former Microsoft Exec Brings Books to World's Poorest Children
Voice of America - 5/3/2013 1:27:46 PM
While global literacy is its primary goal ... parents contribute labor to build the school, and the country’s ministry of education agrees to pay salaries for the teachers and librarians. Room to Read has also set up local printing plants that produce ...
Chamisa speech on World Telecoms Day
nehandaradio.com - 5/17/2013 7:09:05 PM
The theme for World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2013 is “ICTs and improving road safety”. ICTs play a catalytic role in creating opportunities for people in every walk of life ... concern for public health and injury ...
World health day marked by three health ordinances
Pakistan Observer - Newspaper online edition - 5/9/2013 9:41:44 PM
The ratio of literacy rate of our country still rests unsatisfactory and is the reason why our country has enormous problems and has imbalanced socio and economic conditions. Education and Health Sectors hold fundamental importance for any country and ...
