Rankings›Literacy Rate
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Literacy Rate by Country
Compare adult literacy rates by country or region: share of people aged 15+ who can read and write. Survey-based; availability varies by country or region. Source: World Bank.
Highest adult literacy rate · % of adults · Source: World Bank Open Data · View maps & charts →
Year2023
34 countries · 2023
| # | Country / Region | % of adults▼ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ArmeniaARM | 99.8% |
| 2 | AzerbaijanAZE | 99.8% |
| 3 | GeorgiaGEO | 99.6% |
| 4 | TongaTON | 99.5% |
| 5 | UruguayURY | 98.8% |
| 6 | MongoliaMNG | 98.6% |
| 7 | United Arab EmiratesARE | 98.1% |
| 8 | BahrainBHR | 97.8% |
| 9 | AlbaniaALB | 97.7% |
| 10 | NaoeroNRU | 96.6% |
| 11 | PanamaPAN | 96.1% |
| 12 | MexicoMEX | 95.8% |
| 13 | BoliviaBOL | 95.6% |
| 14 | ColombiaCOL | 95.5% |
| 15 | JordanJOR | 94.8% |
| 16 | BrazilBRA | 94.6% |
| 17 | Dominican RepublicDOM | 94.3% |
| 18 | MauritiusMUS | 94.3% |
| 19 | Sri LankaLKA | 92.7% |
| 20 | El SalvadorSLV | 89.8% |
| 21 | Iran, Islamic Rep.IRN | 88.9% |
| 22 | VanuatuVUT | 88.0% |
| 23 | NamibiaNAM | 87.6% |
| 24 | HondurasHND | 87.1% |
| 25 | TunisiaTUN | 86.3% |
| 26 | GuatemalaGTM | 83.0% |
| 27 | ZambiaZMB | 82.0% |
| 28 | IndiaIND | 81.7% |
| 29 | UgandaUGA | 80.5% |
| 30 | Lao PDRLAO | 75.6% |
| 31 | Congo, Dem. Rep.COD | 68.5% |
| 32 | AngolaAGO | 68.2% |
| 33 | SenegalSEN | 50.4% |
| 34 | Burkina FasoBFA | 41.6% |
2023 · Source: World Bank Open Data · View interactive charts →
Key facts · Literacy Rate · 2023
- ›In 2023, Armenia leads all 34 ranked nations in literacy rate, recording 99.8% — followed by Azerbaijan (99.8%) and Georgia (99.6%).
- ›Armenia's literacy rate is 2.4× higher than Burkina Faso (41.6%), which ranks last among countries with available data.
- ›The median country scores 94.3%, highlighting the divide between global leaders and the typical nation's literacy rate in 2023.
- ›The five leading nations — Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Tonga and Uruguay — dominate the global literacy rate ranking in 2023.
- ›34 countries and territories reported literacy rate data for 2023. Use the year slider to explore how rankings have shifted over time, or visit the Literacy Rate indicator page for interactive world maps and historical trend charts.
Explore more: Literacy Rate world map & time series · All global rankings