Education determines a nation's social, scientific, moral, and technological growth. According to estimates by the World Bank, the world's literacy rate from the age of secondary school and onwards was only 12% in 1820. When put in the context of the world population at the time, these statistics mean only one person in ten people was literate. Although the global literacy rate increased with time, it barely went over 20% in 1900. However, the years after the 1950s saw a substantial increase in world literacy. The literacy rate for males aged 15 and older went up to 81.9% in 1990 and further increased to 86.6% in 2000. The global literacy rate is 87.01% as of 2022. These statistics translate to nine literate people in every ten people in the world.
However, the global literacy rate is not evenly distributed across the globe. Some of the most educated countries in the world have a 99%-100% literacy rate, while other regions are still catching up. Nations across Europe and those formerly a part of the Commonwealth of Nations have high literacy rates, and so do Uruguay and Argentina. On the other hand, developing countries have lower percentages.
Literacy Rates: Regional Analysis
According to estimates by the World Economic Forum, South Asia had an overall literacy rate of 74%, slightly higher than that of the Middle East, which was 73%. China had a literacy rate of 99% for adult males, while women aged 15 or older had a literacy rate of 96% in 2022. Conversely, India had an 83% adult male literacy rate in 2022, while women aged 15 and older had a total literacy rate of 69% in 2022. The East Asia and the Pacific region had a total literacy rate of 96%, while Latin America had a 94% literate population. North Africa stood at a 70% total literacy rate, according to estimates by the World Economic Forum.
Sub-Saharan Africa had the lowest literacy rates of all, especially for women. Overall, the region had a total literacy rate of 66%. As of 2022, Chad has an adult male literacy rate of 36%. This percentage drops to 19% for adult women. Similarly, Burkina Faso, South Sudan, and Mali all have a literacy rate of 40% in adult males over the age of 15. Mali and Afghanistan have some of the lowest literacy rates among adult females above the age of 15, standing at 22% and 23%, respectively. Women are the most affected in regions and countries with low literacy rates. While 90% of the men in the world aged 15 or older could read in 2020, only 87% of women made the cut in the same year. The Sub-Saharan African region saw an especially wide gap, with 72% literate males aged 15 or older and only 59% literate females in the same age category. You can also look at 25 Most Illiterate States in America.
Companies Working on Improving Access to Education
According to estimates by the National Literacy Trust, the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected the attainment of education and literacy across the globe. In primary schools, only 67% of people reached the expected standard of reading, falling to 67% between 2019 and 2022. Students' writing skills also decreased, falling from 69% to 58% between 2019 and 2022. Secondary schools painted a similar picture, with secondary-level students from disadvantaged backgrounds falling 3.5 months behind other students in reading by Autumn 2021. The non-disadvantaged students fell back around two months. Similarly, the disadvantage gap index also increased between students who took their GCSEs between 2019 and 2023.
Despite the closure of educational institutions and increasing cost of education, EdTech platforms like Udemy Inc. (NASDAQ:UDMY) and
Coursera, Inc. (
NYSE:COUR) provide students accessible learning opportunities.
Udemy Inc. (NASDAQ:UDMY) is one of the leading online learning platforms. On February 1, the company announced plans to integrate generative AI-equipped features to boost skill development and make personalized learning more accessible. Named the Udemy Intelligent Skills Platform, the new offerings include Udemy AI Skills Mapping, Udemy AI Learning Assistant, and a gen AI-assisted Q&A feature. Here is what Greg Brown, President and Chief Executive Officer at Udemy, had to say about the new features:
“As the world transitions to a skills-based economy, our gen AI-powered Intelligent Skills Platform will transform personalized learning and how skills are acquired and verified. Udemy is committed to providing high-quality learning experiences, ensuring learners and organizations can easily identify and develop the skills they need today and in the future.”
Coursera, Inc. (
NYSE:COUR) is another prominent company in the field. On April 16, Coursera, Inc. (
NYSE:COUR) reported that it became the first EdTech platform to receive the Authorized Instructional Platform by the American Council of Education (ACE). The decision came to acknowledge the security, academic integrity, and accuracy of the platform's academic experience. The company's Artificial Intelligence courses rank among the most popular educational courses on the platform.
20 Countries with the Highest Literacy Rate in the World
20 Countries with the Highest Literacy Rate in the World
Our Methodology
In order to compile a list of the 20 countries with the highest literacy rate in the world, we have used the literacy rate of individuals aged 15 and above as the primary metric. The data has been sourced from the World Bank. We have used data for the latest available year for each country. For tie-breaking, we chose to rank more populous economies higher. Please note that we have only considered countries with a population equal to or higher than 500,000 people. Data for population has been sourced from the World Bank. The list of 20 countries with the highest literacy rates in the world is arranged in ascending order of their literate population.
20 Countries with the Highest Literacy Rates in the World
20. Croatia
Total Adult Literacy Rate (People Aged 15 and Above) as of 2021: 99%
Population as of 2022: 3.856 million people
Croatia is located at the crossroads of Southeast and Central Europe, and has a population of 3.856 million as of 2022. The country has a 99% literacy rate in adults aged 15 and older as of 2021.
19. Serbia
Total Adult Literacy Rate (People Aged 15 and Above) as of 2019: 99%
Population as of 2022: 6.664 million people
Serbia is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe. It ranks 19th on our list of the 20 countries with the highest literacy rates in the world with 99% literate adults aged 15 and above as of 2019. As of 2022, its population is 6.664 million people.
18. Estonia
Total Adult Literacy Rate (People Aged 15 and Above) as of 2021: 100%
Population as of 2022: 1.349 million people
As of 2021, Estonia has an adult male literacy rate of 100%, an adult female literacy rate of 100%, and a total youth literacy rate of 100%.
17. Latvia
Total Adult Literacy Rate (People Aged 15 and Above) as of 2021: 100%
Population as of 2022: 1.879 million people
Latvia is a European country with a population of 1.879 million people. The country has a literacy rate of 100% in adult males, adult females, and youth as of 2021.
16. Slovenia
Total Adult Literacy Rate (People Aged 15 and Above) as of 2001: 100%
Population as of 2022: 2.112 million people
Slovenia ranks 16th on our list with a population of 2.112 million people as of 2022. The country has a 100% total literacy rate in adults aged 15 and older. The latest available estimates for the country are from 2001, according to the World Bank.
15. Moldova
Total Adult Literacy Rate (People Aged 15 and Above) as of 2021: 100%
Population as of 2022: 2.539 million people
As of 2021, Moldova has a 100% literacy rate in adults aged 15 and above. The European country thus ranks 15th on our list of the 20 countries with the highest literacy rate in the world.
14. Armenia
Total Adult Literacy Rate (People Aged 15 and Above) as of 2020: 100%
Population as of 2022: 2.78 million people
With 100% literate adult males, adult females, and youth, Armenia ranks on our list of 20 countries with the highest literacy rate in the world. The latest estimates for the country are available from 2020.
13. Lithuania
Total Adult Literacy Rate (People Aged 15 and Above) as of 2021: 100%
Population as of 2022: 2.832 million people
Lithuania is a European country with a population of 2.832 million people as of 2022, according to estimates by the World Bank. It ranks 13th on our list of the 20 countries with the highest literacy rate in the world, with the latest estimates available from 2021.
12. Georgia
Total Adult Literacy Rate (People Aged 15 and Above) as of 2022: 100%
Population as of 2022: 3.713 million people
As of 2022, Georgia has an adult male, adult female, and a total youth literacy rate of 100%. The transcontinental country is located in Eastern Europe and Western Asia.
11. Kyrgyz Republic
Total Adult Literacy Rate (People Aged 15 and Above) as of 2019: 100%
Population as of 2022: 6.975 million people
Kyrgyz Republic is a landlocked Central Asian country with 100% literate adult males, adult females, and youth as of 2019. The country’s population as of 2022 is 6.975 million people.
10. Belarus
Total Adult Literacy Rate (People Aged 15 and Above) as of 2019: 100%
Population as of 2022: 9.228 million people
As of 2019, Belarus has a 100% literacy rate in adults aged 15 and above. Belarus is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe with a population of 9.228 million people as of 2022, ranking it 10th on our list.
9. Tajikistan
Total Adult Literacy Rate (People Aged 15 and Above) as of 2010: 100%
Population as of 2022: 9.953 million people
Tajikistan houses 9.953 million people as of 2022, with a 100% literate population aged 15 and above. With the latest estimates for the country available from 2010, Tajikistan ranks 9th on our list.
8. Azerbaijan
Total Adult Literacy Rate (People Aged 15 and Above) as of 2019: 100%
Population as of 2022: 10.14 million people
Formerly a part of the Soviet Republic, Azerbaijan has a population of 10.14 million people as of 2022. The latest literacy rate estimates for Azerbaijan are available from 2019.
7. Cuba
Total Adult Literacy Rate (People Aged 15 and Above) as of 2021: 100%
Population as of 2022: 11.21 million people
Cuba has a 100% literacy rate in all three categories: adult male, adult female, and total youth. The latest estimates are available from 2021.
6. Kazakhstan
Total Adult Literacy Rate (People Aged 15 and Above) as of 2022: 100%
Population as of 2022: 19.62 million people
Kazakhstan ranks sixth on our list of the 20 countries with the highest literacy rate in the world. The country has a 100% literacy rate for adult males, adult females, and youth, with the latest data available from 2020.
