Countries With the Highest Adult Literacy
Every country with a figure for adult literacy, ranked from highest to lowest. The top three are Tuvalu (100%), Uzbekistan (100%) and Russian Federation (99.9%). The middle country of the 137 has 93.5%.
What this measures
Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above), in % of adults. Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. For this measure, higher is better.
Reported only in census or survey years for most countries, so the data are sparse and uneven rather than yearly.
The full ranking
Each country’s latest figure, from 2010–2024. The year beside each value says when it was measured.
| Rank | Country | Adult literacy | Year | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tuvalu | 100% | 2022 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 2 | Uzbekistan | 100% | 2022 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 3 | Russian Federation | 99.9% | 2021 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 4 | San Marino | 99.9% | 2022 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 5 | Latvia | 99.9% | 2011 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 6 | Turkmenistan | 99.9% | 2022 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 7 | Estonia | 99.9% | 2011 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 8 | Belarus | 99.9% | 2019 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 9 | Palau | 99.8% | 2020 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 10 | Armenia | 99.8% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 11 | Lithuania | 99.8% | 2011 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 12 | Azerbaijan | 99.8% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 13 | Spain | 99.7% | 2021 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 14 | Georgia | 99.7% | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 15 | Tonga | 99.5% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 16 | Moldova | 99.4% | 2014 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 17 | Italy | 99.3% | 2019 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 18 | Serbia | 99.3% | 2022 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 19 | Romania | 99.2% | 2021 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 20 | Argentina | 99.1% | 2020 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 21 | Uruguay | 98.9% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 22 | Cayman Islands | 98.9% | 2017 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 23 | United Arab Emirates | 98.8% | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 24 | Cyprus | 98.7% | 2011 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 25 | Mongolia | 98.6% | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 26 | Kiribati | 98.6% | 2020 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 27 | Montenegro | 98.5% | 2018 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 28 | Philippines | 98.5% | 2020 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 29 | Bulgaria | 98.3% | 2011 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 30 | Maldives | 98.2% | 2019 | South Asia |
| 31 | Samoa | 98% | 2019 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 32 | West Bank and Gaza | 97.9% | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 33 | Saudi Arabia | 97.9% | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 34 | Bahrain | 97.8% | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 35 | Qatar | 97.8% | 2014 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 36 | Albania | 97.7% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 37 | Cuba | 97.7% | 2019 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 38 | Singapore | 97.7% | 2021 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 39 | Costa Rica | 97.4% | 2011 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 40 | Oman | 97.3% | 2022 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 41 | Turkiye | 97.3% | 2021 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 42 | Venezuela, RB | 97.2% | 2017 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 43 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 97% | 2013 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 44 | Aruba | 96.8% | 2010 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 45 | China | 96.7% | 2020 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 46 | Bolivia | 96.7% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 47 | Naoero | 96.6% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 48 | Macao SAR, China | 96.5% | 2016 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 49 | Kuwait | 96.5% | 2020 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 50 | Chile | 96.4% | 2017 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 51 | Panama | 96.2% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 52 | Viet Nam | 96.1% | 2022 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 53 | Brunei Darussalam | 96.1% | 2011 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 54 | Indonesia | 96% | 2020 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 55 | Malaysia | 95.8% | 2022 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 56 | Marshall Islands | 95.8% | 2021 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 57 | Mexico | 95.6% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 58 | Colombia | 95.3% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 59 | Paraguay | 94.9% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 60 | Brazil | 94.7% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 61 | Portugal | 94.5% | 2011 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 62 | Jordan | 94.4% | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 63 | Syrian Arab Republic | 94.4% | 2021 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 64 | Mauritius | 94.3% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 65 | Dominican Republic | 94% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 66 | Seychelles | 93.9% | 2010 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 67 | Peru | 93.7% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 68 | Myanmar | 93.5% | 2020 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 69 | Ecuador | 93.5% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 70 | Malta | 93.3% | 2011 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 71 | Zimbabwe | 93.2% | 2019 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 72 | Suriname | 92.9% | 2012 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 73 | Sri Lanka | 92.7% | 2024 | South Asia |
| 74 | Puerto Rico (US) | 92.4% | 2017 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 75 | Lebanon | 92% | 2019 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 76 | South Africa | 91.2% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 77 | Thailand | 91.1% | 2022 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 78 | Eswatini | 90.8% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 79 | Lesotho | 90.4% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 80 | El Salvador | 89.8% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 81 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 88.9% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 82 | Gabon | 88.9% | 2021 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 83 | Cabo Verde | 88.5% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 84 | Honduras | 88.3% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 85 | Vanuatu | 88% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 86 | Belize | 87.9% | 2022 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 87 | Namibia | 87.6% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 88 | Sao Tome and Principe | 87.4% | 2019 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 89 | Nicaragua | 87.3% | 2014 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 90 | Papua New Guinea | 87% | 2022 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 91 | Tunisia | 86.3% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 92 | Guyana | 85.6% | 2020 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 93 | Iraq | 84.1% | 2021 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 94 | Guatemala | 82.1% | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 95 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 79.5% | 2022 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 96 | Bangladesh | 79% | 2022 | South Asia |
| 97 | Rwanda | 78.8% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 98 | Tanzania | 78.2% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 99 | India | 78.2% | 2024 | South Asia |
| 100 | Uganda | 77% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 101 | Ghana | 76.5% | 2021 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 102 | Lao PDR | 75.6% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 103 | Comoros | 75.6% | 2021 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 104 | Madagascar | 74.7% | 2021 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 105 | Togo | 72.6% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 106 | Cameroon | 72.6% | 2018 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 107 | Cambodia | 71.9% | 2021 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 108 | Zambia | 71.8% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 109 | Burundi | 71.3% | 2020 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 110 | Nigeria | 70.4% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 111 | Malawi | 70.2% | 2020 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 112 | Timor-Leste | 69.4% | 2022 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 113 | Nepal | 68.7% | 2019 | South Asia |
| 114 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 68.5% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 115 | Angola | 68.2% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 116 | Haiti | 68% | 2017 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 117 | Bhutan | 64.9% | 2022 | South Asia |
| 118 | Morocco | 64.3% | 2014 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 119 | Guinea-Bissau | 63.9% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 120 | Mozambique | 61.7% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 121 | Ethiopia | 60.5% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 122 | Mauritania | 59.5% | 2020 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 123 | Liberia | 59.4% | 2010 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 124 | Pakistan | 58.9% | 2021 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 125 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 54.1% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 126 | Gambia, The | 51.6% | 2021 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 127 | Benin | 51.4% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 128 | Senegal | 50.4% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 129 | Cote d'Ivoire | 50% | 2021 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 130 | Sierra Leone | 43.6% | 2019 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 131 | Central African Republic | 42.4% | 2019 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 132 | Burkina Faso | 41.6% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 133 | Guinea | 39.6% | 2018 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 134 | Afghanistan | 37.3% | 2021 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 135 | Mali | 35.6% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 136 | Niger | 35.6% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 137 | Chad | 30.6% | 2019 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
More on adult literacy
- Countries With the Lowest Adult Literacy
- Adult literacy by country: trend over time and what it goes with
Related rankings
- Countries With the Highest PISA Maths
- Countries With the Highest PISA Reading
- Countries With the Highest PISA Science
- Countries With the Highest Primary Completion
- Countries With the Highest Expected Schooling
- Countries With the Highest Mean Years of Schooling
- Countries With the Highest Education Spending
- Countries With the Highest Primary Enrollment
A ranking describes countries, not the people in them, and a high or low place does not by itself say why. All country rankings.