Illiteracy rates by world region 2020

In 2020, the illiteracy rate among adults aged 15 years and older was 33 percent in Sub-Saharan Africa. In South Asia the illiteracy rate was 23 percent. Adult illiteracy rate is defined as the percentage of the population ages 15 and older who can not read or write. Even though illiteracy continues to persist around the world, illiteracy levels have been reduced significantly over the past decades.

The illiteracy rate among all adults (over 15-year-old) in 2020, by world region

Characteristic	The illiteracy rate among all adults
Sub-Saharan Africa	33%
South Asia	23%
Arab States	26%
Latin America and the Caribbean	6%
East Asia and the Pacific	4%
Europe and Central Asia	2%

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Release date

December 2022

More information

Region

Worldwide

Survey time period

2020

Age group

15 years and older

Supplementary notes

The reference years vary, but according to the source, the values refer to the most recent year available in each specified time period. The source indicates the degree of literacy. The illiteracy rate was calculated in reverse.
The source provides no data for North America.

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