While we've reached a remarkable 87% global adult literacy, the stark reality is that 773 million adults still cannot read or write a simple sentence, a crisis concentrated in the world's most vulnerable regions.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the global adult literacy rate (aged 15 and above) reached 87.01%, up from 86.3% in 2018
- Worldwide, 773 million adults remain illiterate as of 2022, representing about 14% of the global adult population
- The global youth literacy rate (aged 15-24) stands at 92.05% in 2022, showing significant improvement from 89% in 2000
- Adult literacy rate in Sub-Saharan Africa is 66.4% as of 2020, the lowest regionally
- Southern Asia's adult literacy rate stands at 74.4% in 2020, with significant urban-rural gaps
- In Latin America and the Caribbean, adult literacy averages 94.6% in 2020
- In 2020, Finland's adult literacy rate is 100%, highest in Europe
- Norway reports 100% adult literacy in 2020 World Bank data
- Luxembourg's literacy rate for adults is 100% as of 2020
- Global female adult literacy rate is 83.3% compared to 90% for males in 2018
- In low-income countries, female literacy lags male by 20 percentage points on average in 2020
- Worldwide, women make up 64% of illiterate adults over 65 in 2022
Global literacy rates are improving, yet large disparities remain between regions and genders.
Gender Disparities
- Global female adult literacy rate is 83.3% compared to 90% for males in 2018
- In low-income countries, female literacy lags male by 20 percentage points on average in 2020
- Worldwide, women make up 64% of illiterate adults over 65 in 2022
- Youth female literacy rate globally is 91.5% vs 92.6% male in 2020
- In Sub-Saharan Africa, female adult literacy is 59.5% vs 73% male in 2020
- Southern Asia female literacy 68.5% vs 80.9% male adults 2020
- Globally, closing gender literacy gap could add $1.5 trillion to GDP by 2030, per UNESCO 2022
- Female literacy parity index is 0.92 globally for adults in 2020
- In rural areas worldwide, female illiteracy is 22% vs 15% male in 2020
- UNESCO 2022: 132 million girls out of school, exacerbating literacy gaps
- Female youth literacy in least developed countries is 78% vs 87% male 2020
- Globally, married women have 10% lower literacy rates than unmarried in 2020 surveys
- In Arab states, female adult literacy improved 15% from 2000-2020 but gap persists at 14 points
- Worldwide, indigenous women have 25% lower literacy than men in their communities 2021
- Female digital literacy lags male by 8% globally in 2022
- In 2020, 70% of out-of-school children are girls in low-income countries, impacting literacy
- Gender gap in adult literacy has narrowed from 20 to 7 points globally 1990-2020
- Female literacy correlates with 2x higher child school attendance worldwide 2022
- In fragile states, female literacy is 45% vs 60% male adults 2020
- Global female functional illiteracy (PIAAC level 1 or below) is 18% vs 14% male 2022
- Youth male literacy rate (15-24) is 92.7% globally vs 91.4% female in 2020
- Male adult literacy in high-income countries is 99.5% vs 99.3% female 2020, near parity
- In Pakistan, male literacy 71% vs female 51% adults 2020
- Yemen male adult literacy 81% vs 55% female 2020
- Nigeria male literacy 71.1% vs 51.1% female 2020
- Bangladesh male 76.6% vs female 72.8% adults 2020, narrowing gap
- Ethiopia male 57.8% vs female 41.0% literacy 2020
- Global PIAAC data shows men score 10 points higher in literacy proficiency 2018
- Adult male literacy rate in Niger is 42.9% vs 19.5% female 2020
Gender Disparities Interpretation
We cheer the narrowing global gender gap in literacy, yet the persistent and profound deficits for women—especially in the poorest regions—represent not just a statistical lag but a staggering, trillion-dollar drain on human potential.
Global Literacy Rates
- In 2022, the global adult literacy rate (aged 15 and above) reached 87.01%, up from 86.3% in 2018
- Worldwide, 773 million adults remain illiterate as of 2022, representing about 14% of the global adult population
- The global youth literacy rate (aged 15-24) stands at 92.05% in 2022, showing significant improvement from 89% in 2000
- Globally, 75% of illiterate adults live in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa combined in 2022
- The world's illiterate population has decreased by 100 million since 2000 despite population growth, as per 2022 UNESCO data
- Global female adult illiteracy rate is 10.9% compared to 9.0% for males in 2022
- Literacy rates among global indigenous populations average 20% lower than national averages, per 2021 UNESCO report
- By 2030, UNESCO projects global adult literacy to reach 90%, contingent on SDG 4 progress
- Global literacy gap between richest and poorest quintiles is 35 percentage points for adults in 2022
- In 2020, 67% of the world's illiterate adults were women, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics
- Global urban adult literacy rate is 92% versus 79% in rural areas as of 2022
- UNESCO reports that global literacy rates have stagnated at around 86% for adults since 2015
- The global average years of schooling for adults is 8.7 years, correlating with literacy levels in 2022
- Worldwide, 250 million children of primary school age are not achieving minimum proficiency in reading, per 2022 data
- Global literacy rate for population aged 65+ is only 72% compared to 90% for under 25s in 2022
- In 2022, the adult literacy rate in high-income countries averaged 99.2%
- UNESCO estimates 750 million youth and adults lack basic literacy skills globally in 2022
- Global literacy parity index (female/male) for youth is 0.98 in 2022, indicating near gender equality
- The cost of global illiteracy to economies is estimated at $1 trillion annually in lost productivity, per 2021 UNESCO
- Global primary school completion rate linked to literacy stands at 89% in 2022
- In 2022, 14% of the world's adults cannot read or write a simple sentence
- Global literacy rates have risen from 12% in 1800 to 87% in 2022
- UNESCO's 2022 data shows 63 million primary-aged children out of school, impacting future literacy
- Global digital literacy rate among adults is 65% as of 2022 estimates
- The world's illiterate population is projected to drop to 600 million by 2030, per UNESCO
- Global functional literacy rate (PISA-equivalent) is around 70% for 15-year-olds in 2022
- In 2022, 85% of UNESCO member states report literacy data, covering 95% of world population
- Global literacy crisis affects 260 million children unable to read basic text, per 2022 World Bank
- UNESCO 2022: Literacy rates in least developed countries average 65% for adults
- Worldwide, literacy contributes to 2.5% annual GDP growth per UNESCO models in 2022
Global Literacy Rates Interpretation
While we celebrate global literacy inching towards 90%, the sobering truth is that our progress is as uneven as a poorly written sentence, with vast populations, particularly women, the rural poor, and indigenous communities, still waiting to turn the page on basic education.
National Literacy Rates
- In 2020, Finland's adult literacy rate is 100%, highest in Europe
- Norway reports 100% adult literacy in 2020 World Bank data
- Luxembourg's literacy rate for adults is 100% as of 2020
- Andorra has 100% literacy rate across all age groups in 2020 CIA estimates
- Greenland (Denmark) adult literacy is 100% in 2020
- Liechtenstein's population literacy rate is 100% per 2020 data
- United States adult literacy rate is 99% in 2020
- Canada reports 99% adult literacy in 2020
- Germany has 99% adult literacy rate as of 2020
- Japan’s adult literacy is 99% in 2020 UNESCO data
- South Korea adult literacy rate is 98% in 2020
- Australia 99% adult literacy in 2020
- United Kingdom 99% literacy rate for adults 2020
- Sweden 99% adult literacy 2020
- Denmark 99% literacy rate 2020
- Netherlands 99% adult literacy 2020
- Switzerland 99% literacy 2020
- Austria 98% adult literacy 2020
- Belgium 99% literacy rate 2020
- Ireland 99% adult literacy 2020
- New Zealand 99% literacy 2020
- Singapore 97.5% adult literacy 2020
- China adult literacy 96.8% in 2020
- India’s adult literacy rate is 77.7% as of 2020
- Brazil 93.2% adult literacy 2020
- Afghanistan adult literacy 37.3% in 2020, lowest in Asia
- Niger has 30.9% adult literacy rate in 2020
- Guinea 33.3% adult literacy 2020
- Burkina Faso 34.2% literacy 2020
- Mali 33.7% adult literacy 2020
- Chad 26.8% literacy rate 2020
- South Sudan's adult literacy is 34.5% in 2020 estimates
- Central African Republic 37.4% literacy 2020
- Guinea-Bissau 42.5% adult literacy 2020
- Sierra Leone 43.2% literacy 2020
National Literacy Rates Interpretation
While nations like Finland are busy writing perfect prose, others like Chad are still struggling to find the pencil sharpener, revealing a global story where literacy is less about intelligence and more about access.
Regional Literacy Rates
- Adult literacy rate in Sub-Saharan Africa is 66.4% as of 2020, the lowest regionally
- Southern Asia's adult literacy rate stands at 74.4% in 2020, with significant urban-rural gaps
- In Latin America and the Caribbean, adult literacy averages 94.6% in 2020
- Northern Africa and Western Asia report 82.7% adult literacy rate in 2020
- Central and Southern Asia youth literacy rate is 88.2% in 2020
- Sub-Saharan Africa's youth literacy rate is 75.4% as of 2020
- Eastern and South-Eastern Asia boasts 96.1% adult literacy in 2020
- Oceania's adult literacy rate averages 88.5% in 2020, varying widely by island nations
- In Europe and Northern America, adult literacy is near 99.8% in 2020
- Central Asia adult literacy rate is 99.7% in 2020
- Latin America's female adult literacy is 94.2% versus 95.1% male in 2020
- Sub-Saharan Africa has 28% illiterate adults, highest regional share in 2020
- Southern Asia accounts for 44% of global illiterate adults in 2020
- Eastern Asia's youth literacy rate is 99.8% in 2020
- Western Asia adult literacy improved to 86.3% from 80% in 2010, per 2020 data
- In 2020, Northern Africa's literacy rate for ages 15-24 is 92.1%
- Sub-Saharan Africa's rural adult literacy is 58% versus 82% urban in 2020
- Latin America and Caribbean youth literacy parity (F/M) is 0.99 in 2020
- Oceania's illiterate adults number around 1.5 million in 2020
- Central and Southern Asia's adult literacy rose 5% from 2015-2020
- Europe/North America's functional illiteracy rate is under 5% in 2020 PIAAC data
- Sub-Saharan Africa's gender gap in adult literacy is 12 percentage points in 2020
- Southern Asia's out-of-school children impact 25 million on regional literacy in 2020
- Eastern Asia's elderly literacy (65+) is 92% in 2020
- Western Asia youth literacy rate is 95.2% in 2020
- Northern Africa's adult literacy for women is 78.5% in 2020
Regional Literacy Rates Interpretation
While our world's literacy report card showcases some impressive A+ regions, it's a stark reminder that for millions of adults in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia, the fundamental right to read a medicine label or a ballot remains a subject they were never given the textbook for.
Sources & References
- Reference 1UISuis.unesco.orgVisit source
- Reference 2OURWORLDINDATAourworldindata.orgVisit source
- Reference 3DATAdata.worldbank.orgVisit source
- Reference 4ENen.unesco.orgVisit source
- Reference 5DATAREPORTALdatareportal.comVisit source
- Reference 6OECDoecd.orgVisit source
- Reference 7WORLDBANKworldbank.orgVisit source
- Reference 8CIAcia.govVisit source