Country Comparison > Literacy

RankCountryLiteracy (%)
1Andorra100
2Greenland100
3Korea, North100
4Uzbekistan100
5Latvia99.9
6Lithuania99.8
7Kazakhstan99.8
8Poland99.8
9Tajikistan99.8
10Cuba99.8
11Estonia99.8
12Azerbaijan99.8
13Belarus99.8
14Ukraine99.8
15Turkmenistan99.7
16Armenia99.7
17Russia99.7
18Slovenia99.7
19Kyrgyzstan99.6
20Barbados99.6
21Georgia99.4
22Moldova99.4
23Tonga99.4
24Croatia99.3
25Italy99.2
26Hungary99.1
27Fiji99.1
28Samoa99.1
29Czech Republic99
30Argentina99
31Antigua and Barbuda99
32Trinidad and Tobago99
33Cayman Islands98.9
34Romania98.8
35Montenegro98.8
36Uruguay98.7
37Grenada98.6
38Bosnia and Herzegovina98.5
39Taiwan98.5
40Bulgaria98.4
41Mongolia98.4
42Spain98.4
43Serbia98.3
44Marshall Islands98.3
45Philippines98.2
46Jordan98.2
47Albania98.1
48Korea, South98
49Costa Rica97.9
50Aruba97.8
51Israel97.8
52Macedonia97.8
53Maldives97.7
54Greece97.7
55Bahrain97.5
56Singapore97.3
57Brunei97.2
58Gaza Strip97.2
59West Bank97.2
60Venezuela97.1
61New Caledonia96.9
62China96.8
63Palau96.6
64Macau96.5
65Chile96.4
66Turkey96.2
67Kuwait96.1
68Portugal96.1
69Seychelles95.9
70Oman95.7
71Indonesia95.7
72Mexico95.4
73Panama95.4
74Saudi Arabia95.3
75Equatorial Guinea95.3
76Colombia95.1
77Lebanon95.1
78Vietnam95
79Malta94.5
80Peru94.4
81Suriname94.4
82Paraguay94
83Dominican Republic93.8
84United Arab Emirates93.8
85Malaysia93.7
86Qatar93.5
87Brazil93.2
88Thailand92.9
89Ecuador92.8
90Sao Tome and Principe92.8
91Bolivia92.5
92Puerto Rico92.4
93Sri Lanka91.9
94Namibia91.5
95Mauritius91.3
96Libya91
97Jamaica88.7
98Botswana88.5
99El Salvador88.5
100Guyana88.5
101Swaziland88.4
102Vanuatu87.5
103Honduras87.2
104South Africa87
105Cape Verde86.8
106Zambia86.7
107Zimbabwe86.5
108Syria86.4
109Iran85.5
110Gabon84.7
111Laos84.7
112Nicaragua82.6
113Tunisia81.8
114Kenya81.5
115Guatemala81.5
116Algeria81.4
117Cambodia80.5
118Congo, Republic of the80.3
119Lesotho79.4
120Tanzania77.9
121Cameroon77.1
122Congo, Democratic Republic of the77
123Ghana76.6
124Eritrea76.6
125Uganda76.5
126Burma75.6
127Madagascar74.8
128India74.4
129Bangladesh73.9
130Morocco73.8
131Rwanda73.2
132Egypt71.2
133Angola71.1
134Yemen70.1
135Burundi68.4
136East Timor68.1
137Nepal67.9
138Bhutan66.6
139Papua New Guinea64.2
140Togo63.7
141Malawi62.1
142Nigeria62
143Haiti61.7
144Mozambique60.7
145Sudan60.7
146Guinea-Bissau59.9
147Pakistan59.1
148Comoros58.8
149Mauritania53.5
150Senegal51.9
151Ethiopia51.8
152Gambia, The50.8
153Iraq50.1
154Liberia48.3
155Sierra Leone43.2
156Afghanistan43
157Benin42.4
158Burkina Faso41.2
159Central African Republic37.4
160Mali35.5
161South Sudan34.5
162Guinea30.4
163Chad22.3
164Niger19.1

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, 2020

See also: Literacy map

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