FIELD LISTING :: LITERACY
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.

Country Comparison to the World

Country | LITERACY(%)
--- | ---
Afghanistan | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 38.2% male: 52% female: 24.2% (2015 est.)
Albania | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.6% male: 98.4% female: 96.9% (2015 est.)
Algeria | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 80.2% male: 87.2% female: 73.1% (2015 est.)
Angola | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 71.1% male: 82% female: 60.7% (2015 est.)
Antigua and Barbuda | definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling total population: 99% male: 98.4% female: 99.4% (2012 est.)
Argentina | definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 98.1% male: 98% female: 98.1% (2015 est.)
Armenia | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.7% male: 99.7% female: 99.6% (2015 est.)
Aruba | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.5% male: 97.5% female: 97.5% (2015 est.)
Azerbaijan | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.9% female: 99.8% (2015 est.)
Bahrain | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95.7% male: 96.9% female: 93.5% (2015 est.)
Bangladesh | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 61.5% male: 64.6% female: 58.5% (2015 est.)
Belarus | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.7% male: 99.8% female: 99.7% (2015 est.)
Benin | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 38.4% male: 49.9% female: 27.3% (2015 est.)
Bhutan | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 64.9% male: 73.1% female: 55% (2015 est.)
Bolivia | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95.7% male: 97.8% female: 93.6% (2015 est.)
Bosnia and Herzegovina | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.5% male: 99.5% female: 97.5% (2015 est.)
Botswana | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 88.5% male: 88% female: 88.9% (2015 est.)
Brazil | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.6% male: 92.2% female: 92.9% (2015 est.)
Brunei | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96% male: 97.5% female: 94.5% (2015 est.)
Bulgaria | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.4% male: 98.7% female: 98.1% (2015 est.)
Burkina Faso | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 36% male: 43% female: 29.3% (2015 est.)
Burma | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.1% male: 95.2% female: 91.2% (2015 est.)
Burundi | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85.6% male: 88.2% female: 83.1% (2015 est.)
Cabo Verde | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87.6% male: 92.1% female: 83.1% (2015 est.)
Cambodia | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 77.2% male: 84.5% female: 70.5% (2015 est.)
Cameroon | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 75% male: 81.2% female: 68.9% (2015 est.)
Cayman Islands | definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98.9% male: 98.7% female: 99% (2007 est.)
Central African Republic | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 36.8% male: 50.7% female: 24.4% (2015 est.)
Chad | definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic total population: 40.2% male: 48.5% female: 31.9% (2015 est.)
Chile | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.5% male: 97.6% female: 97.4% (2015 est.)
China | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.4% male: 98.2% female: 94.5% (2015 est.)
Colombia | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.7% male: 94.6% female: 94.8% (2015 est.)
Comoros | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 77.8% male: 81.8% female: 73.7% (2015 est.)
Congo, Democratic Republic of the | definition: age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba total population: 63.8% male: 78.1% female: 50% (2015 est.)
Congo, Republic of the | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 79.3% male: 86.4% female: 72.9% (2015 est.)
Costa Rica | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.8% male: 97.7% female: 97.8% (2015 est.)
Cote d'Ivoire | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 43.1% male: 53.1% female: 32.5% (2015 est.)
Croatia | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.3% male: 99.7% female: 98.9% (2015 est.)
Cuba | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.9% female: 99.8% (2015 est.)
Cyprus | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.1% male: 99.5% female: 98.7% (2015 est.)
Czech Republic | definition: NA total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2011 est.)
Dominican Republic | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.8% male: 91.2% female: 92.3% (2015 est.)
Ecuador | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.5% male: 95.4% female: 93.5% (2015 est.)
Egypt | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 73.8% male: 82.2% female: 65.4% (2015 est.)
El Salvador | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 88% male: 90.4% female: 86% (2015 est.)
Equatorial Guinea | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95.3% male: 97.4% female: 93% (2015 est.)
Eritrea | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 73.8% male: 82.4% female: 65.5% (2015 est.)
Estonia | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.8% (2015 est.)
Ethiopia | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 49.1% male: 57.2% female: 41.1% (2015 est.)
Gabon | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.2% male: 85.3% female: 81% (2015 est.)
Gambia, The | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 55.5% male: 63.9% female: 47.6% (2015 est.)
Gaza Strip | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.5% male: 98.4% female: 94.5% note: estimates are for the Palestinian Territories (2015 est.)
Georgia | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.7% (2015 est.)
Ghana | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 76.6% male: 82% female: 71.4% (2015 est.)
Greece | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.7% male: 98.5% female: 96.9% (2015 est.)
Guatemala | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 81.5% male: 87.4% female: 76.3% (2015 est.)
Guinea-Bissau | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 59.9% male: 71.8% female: 48.3% (2015 est.)
Guinea | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 30.4% male: 38.1% female: 22.8% (2015 est.)
Guyana | definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 88.5% male: 87.2% female: 89.8% (2015 est.)
Haiti | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 60.7% male: 64.3% female: 57.3% (2015 est.)
Honduras | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 88.5% male: 88.4% female: 88.6% (2015 est.)
Hungary | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.1% male: 99.1% female: 99% (2015 est.)
India | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 71.2% male: 81.3% female: 60.6% (2015 est.)
Indonesia | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.9% male: 96.3% female: 91.5% (2015 est.)
Iran | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86.8% male: 91.2% female: 82.5% (2015 est.)
Iraq | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 79.7% male: 85.7% female: 73.7% (2015 est.)
Israel | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.8% male: 98.7% female: 96.8% (2011 est.)
Italy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.2% male: 99.4% female: 99% (2015 est.)
Jamaica | definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 88.7% male: 84% female: 93.1% (2015 est.)
Jordan | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95.4% male: 97.7% female: 92.9% (2015 est.)
Kazakhstan | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.8% (2015 est.)
Kenya | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 78% male: 81.1% female: 74.9% (2015 est.)
Korea, North | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2015 est.)
Kosovo | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.9% male: 96.6% female: 87.5% (2003 est.)
Kuwait | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.3% male: 96.5% female: 95.8% (2015 est.)
Kyrgyzstan | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.5% male: 99.6% female: 99.4% (2015 est.)
Laos | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 79.9% male: 87.1% female: 72.8% (2015 est.)
Latvia | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.9% male: 99.9% female: 99.9% (2015 est.)
Lebanon | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.9% male: 96% female: 91.8% (2015 est.)
Lesotho | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 79.4% male: 70.1% female: 88.3% (2015 est.)
Liberia | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 47.6% male: 62.4% female: 32.8% (2015 est.)
Libya | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91% male: 96.7% female: 85.6% (2015 est.)
Lithuania | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.8% (2015 est.)
Macau | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.2% male: 98% female: 94.6% (2015 est.)
Macedonia | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.8% male: 98.8% female: 96.8% (2015 est.)
Madagascar | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 64.7% male: 66.7% female: 62.6% (2015 est.)
Malawi | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 65.8% male: 73% female: 58.6% (2015 est.)
Malaysia | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.6% male: 96.2% female: 93.2% (2015 est.)
Maldives | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.3% male: 99.8% female: 98.8% (2015 est.)
Mali | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 38.7% male: 48.2% female: 29.2% (2015 est.)
Malta | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.4% male: 93.1% female: 95.8% (2015 est.)
Mauritania | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 52.1% male: 62.6% female: 41.6% (2015 est.)
Mauritius | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90.6% male: 92.9% female: 88.5% (2015 est.)
Mexico | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95.1% male: 96.2% female: 94.2% (2012 est.)
Moldova | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.4% male: 99.7% female: 99.1% (2015 est.)
Mongolia | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.4% male: 98.2% female: 98.6% (2015 est.)
Montenegro | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.7% male: 99.5% female: 98% (2015 est.)
Morocco | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 68.5% male: 78.6% female: 58.8% (2015 est.)
Mozambique | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 58.8% male: 73.3% female: 45.4% (2015 est.)
Namibia | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 81.9% male: 79.2% female: 84.5% (2015 est.)
Nepal | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 63.9% male: 76.4% female: 53.1% (2015 est.)
New Caledonia | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.9% male: 97.3% female: 96.5% (2015 est.)
Nicaragua | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 82.8% male: 82.4% female: 83.2% (2015 est.)
Nigeria | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 59.6% male: 69.2% female: 49.7% (2015 est.)
Niger | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 19.1% male: 27.3% female: 11% (2015 est.)
Oman | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.1% male: 93.6% female: 85.6% (2015 est.)
Pakistan | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.9% male: 69.5% female: 45.8% (2015 est.)
Palau | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.5% male: 99.5% female: 99.6% (2015 est.)
Panama | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95% male: 95.7% female: 94.4% (2015 est.)
Papua New Guinea | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 64.2% male: 65.6% female: 62.8% (2015 est.)
Paraguay | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.9% male: 94.8% female: 92.9% (2010 est.)
Peru | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.5% male: 97.3% female: 91.7% (2015 est.)
Philippines | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.3% male: 95.8% female: 96.8% (2015 est.)
Poland | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.9% female: 99.7% (2015 est.)
Portugal | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95.7% male: 97.1% female: 94.4% (2015 est.)
Puerto Rico | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.3% male: 92.8% female: 93.8% (2015 est.)
Qatar | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.3% male: 97.4% female: 96.8% (2015 est.)
Romania | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.8% male: 99.1% female: 98.5% (2015 est.)
Russia | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.7% male: 99.7% female: 99.6% (2015 est.)
Rwanda | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 70.5% male: 73.2% female: 68% (2015 est.)
Samoa | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99.1% female: 98.8% (2015 est.)
Sao Tome and Principe | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 74.9% male: 81.8% female: 68.4% (2015 est.)
Saudi Arabia | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.7% male: 97% female: 91.1% (2015 est.)
Senegal | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.7% male: 69.7% female: 46.6% (2015 est.)
Serbia | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.1% male: 99.1% female: 97.2% (2015 est.)
Seychelles | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.8% male: 91.4% female: 92.3% (2012 est.)
Sierra Leone | definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic total population: 48.1% male: 58.7% female: 37.7% (2015 est.)
Singapore | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.8% male: 98.6% female: 95% (2015 est.)
Slovenia | definition: NA total population: 99.7% male: 99.7% female: 99.7% (2015 est.)
Solomon Islands | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 84.1% male: 88.9% female: 79.2% (2009 est.)
South Africa | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.3% male: 95.5% female: 93.1% (2015 est.)
South Sudan | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 27% male: 40% female: 16% (2009 est.)
Spain | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.1% male: 98.7% female: 97.5% (2015 est.)
Sri Lanka | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.6% male: 93.6% female: 91.7% (2015 est.)
Sudan | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 75.9% male: 83.3% female: 68.6% (2015 est.)
Suriname | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95.6% male: 96.1% female: 95% (2015 est.)
Swaziland | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87.5% male: 87.4% female: 87.5% (2015 est.)
Syria | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86.4% male: 91.7% female: 81% (2015 est.)
Taiwan | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.5% male: 99.7% female: 97.3% (2014 est.)
Tajikistan | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.7% (2015 est.)
Tanzania | definition: age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili), English, or Arabic total population: 70.6% male: 75.9% female: 65.4% (2015 est.)
Thailand | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.7% male: 96.6% female: 96.7% (2015 est.)
Timor-Leste | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 67.5% male: 71.5% female: 63.4% (2015 est.)
Togo | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 66.5% male: 78.3% female: 55.3% (2015 est.)
Tonga | definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English total population: 99.4% male: 99.3% female: 99.4% (2015 est.)
Trinidad and Tobago | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99.2% female: 98.7% (2015 est.)
Tunisia | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 81.8% male: 89.6% female: 74.2% (2015 est.)
Turkey | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95% male: 98.4% female: 91.8% (2015 est.)
Turkmenistan | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.7% male: 99.8% female: 99.6% (2015 est.)
Uganda | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 78.4% male: 85.3% female: 71.5% (2015 est.)
Ukraine | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.7% (2015 est.)
United Arab Emirates | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.8% male: 93.1% female: 95.8% (2005 est.)
Uruguay | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.5% male: 98.2% female: 98.8% (2015 est.)
Uzbekistan | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.6% male: 99.7% female: 99.5% (2015 est.)
Vanuatu | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85.2% male: 86.6% female: 83.8% (2015 est.)
Venezuela | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.3% male: 96.4% female: 96.2% (2015 est.)
Vietnam | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.5% male: 96.3% female: 92.8% (2015 est.)
West Bank | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.5% male: 98.4% female: 94.5% notes: estimates are for the Palestinian Territories (2015 est.)
World | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86.1% male: 89.9% female: 82.2% (2015 est.) note: more than three-quarters of the world's 781 million illiterate adults are found in South and West Asia and sub-Saharan Africa; of all the illiterate adults in the world, almost two-thirds are women (2012)
Yemen | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 70.1% male: 85.1% female: 55% (2015 est.)
Zambia | definition: age 15 and over can read and write English total population: 63.4% male: 70.9% female: 56% (2015 est.)
Zimbabwe | definition: age 15 and over can read and write English total population: 86.5% male: 88.5% female: 84.6% (2015 est.)