The country reported to have read books most regularly in 2017 was China, where a survey among internet users across 17 countries revealed that 36 percent of respondents read a book every day or most days, and 34 percent read at least once a week. Conversely, just 13 percent of South Korean respondents were reading books on a daily basis. Other countries with a low share of those aged 15 years or above reading daily included Belgium, Japan, the Netherlands and Mexico.
The number of books read over the past year in the United States was overall higher among adults aged 18 to 34 than older generations, and in Canada the share of children reading books for fun halved with the approach of teenage years. Whilst 50 percent of children aged between six and eight years old were reading for pleasure multiple times per week, among 15 to 17-year-olds this figure amounted to just 25 percent. Meanwhile, the opposite was true of going online for fun, which increased sharply with age and replaced the activity of reading.
Frequency of reading books in selected countries worldwide in 2017
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GfK. (March 22, 2017). Frequency of reading books in selected countries worldwide in 2017 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved July 04, 2022, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/696925/book-reading-frequency-countries-worldwide/
GfK. "Frequency of reading books in selected countries worldwide in 2017." Chart. March 22, 2017. Statista. Accessed July 04, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/696925/book-reading-frequency-countries-worldwide/
GfK. (2017). Frequency of reading books in selected countries worldwide in 2017. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: July 04, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/696925/book-reading-frequency-countries-worldwide/
GfK. "Frequency of Reading Books in Selected Countries Worldwide in 2017." Statista, Statista Inc., 22 Mar 2017, https://www.statista.com/statistics/696925/book-reading-frequency-countries-worldwide/
GfK, Frequency of reading books in selected countries worldwide in 2017 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/696925/book-reading-frequency-countries-worldwide/ (last visited July 04, 2022)