Country | Literacy rate (all) | Male Literacy | Female Literacy | Criteria |
-9e99 | -9e99 | !a | -9e99 |
World | 84.1% | 88.6% | 79.7% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Afghanistan | 28.1% | 43.1% | 12.6% | age 15 and over can read and write (2000 est.)[1] |
Albania | 96.8% | 98% | 95.7% | age 9 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1] |
Algeria | 72.6% | 81.3% | 63.9% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010)[3] |
American Samoa | 97% | 98% | 97% | age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)[1] |
Andorra | 100% | 100% | 100% | age 15 and over can read and write[1] |
Angola | 70.4% | 82.6% | 58.6% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1] |
Anguilla | 95% | 95% | 95% | age 12 and over can read and write (1984 est.)[1] |
Antigua and Barbuda | 99% | 98.4% | 99.4% | age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling (2011 est.)[1] |
Argentina | 97.9% | 97.8% | 97.9% | age 10 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1] |
Armenia | 99.6% | 99.7% | 99.5% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1] |
Aruba | 96.8% | 96.9% | 96.7% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Australia | 96% | 96% | 96% | age 15 and over can read brief texts on familiar topics (2011-2)[4] |
Austria | 98% | N/A | N/A | age 15 and over can read and write[1] |
Azerbaijan | 99.8% | 99.9% | 99.7% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 census)[1] |
Bahamas, The | 95.6% | 94.7% | 96.5% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
Bahrain | 94.6% | 96.1% | 91.6% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 census)[1] |
Bangladesh | 57.7% | 62% | 53.4% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1] |
Barbados | 99.7% | 99.7% | 99.7% | age 15 and over has ever attended school (2002 est.)[1] |
Belarus | 99.6% | 99.8% | 99.5% | age 15 and over can read and write (2009 census)[1] |
Belgium | 99% | 99% | 99% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
Belize | 76.9% | 76.7% | 77.1% | age 15 and over can read and write (2000 census)[1] |
Benin | 42.4% | 55.2% | 30.3% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 census)[1] |
Bermuda | 98% | 98% | 99% | age 15 and over can read and write (2005 est.)[1] |
Bhutan | 52.8% | 65% | 38.7% | age 15 and over can read and write (2005 est.)[1] |
Bolivia | 91.2% | 95.8% | 86.8% | age 15 and over can read and write (2009 est.)[1] |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 98% | 99.5% | 96.7% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1] |
Botswana | 85.1% | 84.6% | 85.6% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1] |
Brazil | 90.4% | 90.1% | 90.7% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
British Virgin Islands | 97.8% | N/A | N/A | age 15 and over can read and write (1991 est.)[1] |
Brunei | 95.4% | 97% | 93.9% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1] |
Bulgaria | 98.4% | 98.7% | 98% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011)[1] |
Burkina Faso | 28.7% | 36.7% | 21.6% | age 15 and over can read and write (2007 est.)[1] |
Burma | 92.7% | 95.1% | 90.4%% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1] |
Burundi | 67.2% | 72.9% | 61.8% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Cambodia | 73.9% | 82.8% | 65.9% | age 15 and over can read and write (2009 est.)[1] |
Cameroon | 71.3% | 78.3% | 64.8% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Canada | 99% | 99% | 99% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
Cape Verde | 84.9% | 89.7% | 80.3% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1] |
Cayman Islands | 98.9% | 98.7% | 99% | age 15 and over has ever attended school (2007 est.)[1] |
Central African Republic | 56.6% | 69.6% | 44.2% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1] |
Chad | 35.4% | 45.6% | 25.4% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1] |
Chile | 98.6% | 98.6% | 98.5% | age 15 and over can read and write (2009 est.)[1] |
China | 95.1% | 97.5% | 92.7% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Christmas Island | N/A | N/A | N/A | [1] |
Cocos (Keeling) Islands | N/A | N/A | N/A | [1] |
Colombia | 93.6% | 93.5% | 93.7% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est)[1] |
Comoros | 75.5% | 80.5% | 70.6% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1] |
Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 66.8% | 76.9% | 57% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Congo, Republic of the | 83.8% | 89.6% | 78.4% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
Cook Islands | 95% | N/A | N/A | [1] |
Costa Rica | 96.3% | 96% | 96.5% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1] |
Croatia | 98.9% | 99.5% | 98.3% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1] |
Cuba | 99.8% | 99.8% | 99.8% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1] |
Cyprus | 98.7% | 99.3% | 98.1% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1] |
Czech Republic | 99% | 99% | 99% | (2011 est.)[1] |
Denmark | 99% | 99% | 99% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
Djibouti | 67.9% | 78% | 58.4% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
Dominica | 94% | 94% | 94% | age 15 and over has ever attended school (2003 est.)[1] |
Dominican Republic | 87% | 86.8% | 87.2% | age 15 and over can read and write (2002 census)[1] |
Ecuador | 93.2% | 94.2% | 92.3% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 census)[1] |
Egypt | 73.9% | 81.7% | 65.8% | age 10 and over can read and write (2012 est.)[1] |
El Salvador | 81.1% | 82.8% | 79.6% | age 15 and over can read and write (2007 census)[1] |
Equatorial Guinea | 93.9% | 97.1% | 90.6% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Eritrea | 80% | N/A | N/A | age 15 and over can read and write (2013 est.)[5] |
Estonia | 99.8% | 99.8% | 99.8% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1] |
Ethiopia | 39% | 49.1% | 28.9% | age 15 and over can read and write (2007 est.)[1] |
Falkland Islands | N/A | N/A | N/A | [1] |
Faroe Islands | N/A | N/A | N/A | Note - probably 99%, the same as Denmark proper[1] |
Fiji | 93.7% | 95.5% | 91.9% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
Finland | 100% | 100% | 100% | age 15 and over can read and write (2000 est.)[1] |
France | 99% | 99% | 99% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
French Polynesia | 98% | 98% | 98% | age 14 and over can read and write (1977 est.)[1] |
Gabon | 88.4% | 91.9% | 84.9% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Gambia, The | 50% | 60% | 40.4% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Gaza Strip | 96.4% | 98.3% | 94.3% | age 15 and over can read and write (2012 est.)[6] |
Georgia | 99.7% | 99.8% | 99.7% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Germany | 99% | 99% | 99% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
Ghana | 71.5% | 78.3% | 65.3% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 census)[1] |
Gibraltar | >80% | N/A | N/A | [1] |
Greece | 98% | 98.8% | 99% | age 15 and over can read and write (2001 census)[1] |
Greenland | 100% | 100% | 100% | age 15 and over can read and write (2001 est.)[1] |
Grenada | 96% | NA | NA | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
Guam | 99% | 99% | 99% | age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)[1] |
Guatemala | 69.1% | 75.4% | 63.3% | age 15 and over can read and write (2002 census)[1] |
Guernsey | N/A | N/A | N/A | [1] |
Guinea | 41% | 52% | 30% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Guinea-Bissau | 55.3% | 68.9% | 42.1% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1] |
Guyana | 91.8% | 92% | 91.6% | age 15 and over has ever attended school (2002 census)[1] |
Haiti | 52.9% | 54.8% | 51.2% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
Honduras | 80% | 79.8% | 80.2% | age 15 and over can read and write (2001 census)[1] |
Hong Kong | 93.5% | 96.9% | 89.6% | age 15 and over has ever attended school (2002)[1] |
Hungary | 99% | 99.2% | 98.9% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1] |
Iceland | 99% | 99% | 99% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
India | 74% | 82.1% | 65.5% | age 7 and over can read and write (2011 census)[7] |
Indonesia | 90.4% | 94% | 86.8% | age 15 and over can read and write (2004 est.)[1] |
Iran | 85% | 89.3% | 80.7% | age 15 and over can read and write (2008 est.)[8] |
Iraq | 78.2% | 86% | 70.6% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Ireland, Republic of | 99% | 99% | 99% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
Isle of Man | N/A | N/A | N/A | [1] |
Israel | 97.1% | 98.5% | 95.9% | age 15 and over can read and write (2004 est.)[1] |
Italy | 99% | 99.2% | 98.7% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011 census)[1] |
Ivory Coast | 56.2% | 65.2% | 46.6% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Jamaica | 87.9% | 84.1% | 91.6% | age 15 and over has ever attended school (2003 est.)[1] |
Japan | 99% | 99% | 99% | age 15 and over can read and write (2002 census)[1] |
Jersey | N/A | N/A | N/A | [1] |
Jordan | 93.4% | 96.6% | 90.2% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1] |
Kazakhstan | 99.5% | 99.8% | 99.3% | age 15 and over can read and write (1999 est.)[1] |
Kenya | 87.4% | 90.6% | 84.2% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Kiribati | N/A | N/A | N/A | [1] |
Korea, North | 99% | 99% | 99% | age 15 and over can read and write (1991 est.)[1] |
Korea, South | 97.9% | 99.2% | 96.6% | age 15 and over can read and write (2002)[1] |
Kosovo, Republic of | 91.9% | 96.6% | 87.5% | age 15 and over can read and write (2007 census)[1] |
Kuwait | 94% | 94.4% | 97% | age 15 and over can read and write (2007-2011 census)[9] |
Kyrgyzstan | 98.7% | 99.3% | 98.1% | age 15 and over can read and write (1999 census)[1] |
Laos | 73% | 83% | 63% | age 15 and over can read and write (2005 census)[1] |
Latvia | 99.8% | 99.8% | 99.8% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1] |
Lebanon | 89.6% | 93.4% | 86% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
Lesotho | 89.6% | 83.3% | 95.6% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Liberia | 60.8% | 64.8% | 56.8% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Libya | 89.2% | 95.6% | 82.7% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Liechtenstein | 100% | 100% | 100% | age 10 and over can read and write[1] |
Lithuania | 99.7% | 99.7% | 99.7% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Luxembourg | 100% | 100% | 100% | age 15 and over can read and write (2000 est.)[1] |
Macau | 91.3% | 95.3% | 87.8% | age 15 and over can read and write (2001 census)[1] |
Macedonia, Republic of | 97.3% | 98.7% | 95.9% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Madagascar | 64.5% | 67.4% | 61.6% | age 15 and over can read and write (2009 est.)[1] |
Malawi | 74.8% | 81.1% | 68.5% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Malaysia | 93.1% | 95.4% | 90.7% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 census)[1] |
Maldives | 99% | 99% | 99% | age 15 and over can read and write (2006 census)[1] |
Mali | 27.7% | 36.1% | 19.8% | age 15 and over can read and write (2009 census)[1] |
Malta | 92.8% | 91.7% | 93.9% | age 10 and over can read and write (2005 census)[1] |
Marshall Islands | 93.7% | 93.6% | 93.7% | age 15 and over can read and write (1999 est.)[1] |
Mauritania | 58% | 64.9% | 51.2% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Mauritius | 88.5% | 90.9% | 86.2% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Mexico | 93.4% | 93.7% | 93.1% | age 15 and over can read and write (2009 estimate)[1] |
Micronesia, Federated States of | 89% | 91% | 88% | age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)[1] |
Moldova | 98.5% | 99.1% | 98.1% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Monaco | 99% | 99% | 99% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
Mongolia | 97.4% | 96.9% | 97.9% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Montenegro | 98.4% | 99.4% | 97.4% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Montserrat | 97% | 97% | 97% | age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970 est.)[1] |
Morocco | 67.1% | 76.1% | 57.6% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1] |
Mozambique | 56.1% | 70.8% | 42.8% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Namibia | 88.8% | 89% | 88.5% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Nauru | N/A | N/A | N/A | [1] |
Nepal | 66% | 75.1% | 57.4% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 census)[1] |
Netherlands | 99% | 99% | 99% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
New Caledonia | 96.2% | 96.8% | 95.5% | age 15 and over can read and write (1996 census)[1] |
New Zealand | 99% | 99% | 99% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
Nicaragua | 67.5% | 67.2% | 67.8% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
Niger | 28.7% | 42.9% | 15.1% | age 15 and over can read and write (2005 est.)[1] |
Nigeria | 61.3% | 72.1% | 50.4% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Niue | 95% | N/A | N/A | [1] |
Norfolk Island | N/A | N/A | N/A | [1] |
Northern Mariana Islands | 97% | 97% | 96% | age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)[1] |
Norway | 100% | 100% | 100% | [1] |
Oman | 81.4% | 86.8% | 73.5% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 census)[1] |
Pakistan | 67.5% | 70.0% | 65.0% | age 15 and over can read and write (2012 est.)[1] |
Palau | 92% | 93% | 90% | age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)[1] |
Palestine | 95.6% | 98.1% | 93.1% | age 15 and over can read and write (2012 est.)[10] |
Panama | 91.9% | 92.5% | 91.2% | age 15 and over can read and write (2000 census)[1] |
Papua New Guinea | 57.3% | 63.4% | 50.9% | age 15 and over can read and write (2000 census)[1] |
Paraguay | 94% | 94.9% | 93% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
Peru | 92.9% | 96.4% | 89.4% | age 15 and over can read and write (2007 census)[1] |
Philippines | 92.6% | 92.5% | 92.7% | age 15 and over can read and write (2000 census)[1] |
Pitcairn Islands | N/A | N/A | N/A | [1] |
Poland | 99.7% | 99.9% | 99.6% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1] |
Portugal | 95.4% | 97% | 94% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1] |
Puerto Rico | 94.1% | 93.9% | 94.4% | age 15 and over can read and write (2002 est.)[1] |
Qatar | 96.3% | 96.5% | 95.4% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Romania | 97.7% | 98.3% | 97.1% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1] |
Russia | 99.7% | 99.7% | 99.6% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Rwanda | 71.1% | 74.8% | 67.5% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha | 97% | 97% | 98% | age 20 and over can read and write (1987 est.)[1] |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | 97.8% | N/A | N/A | age 15 and over has ever attended school (2003 est.)[1] |
Saint Lucia | 90.1% | 89.5% | 90.6% | age 15 and over has ever attended school (2001 est.)[1] |
Saint Pierre and Miquelon | 99% | 99% | 99% | age 15 and over can read and write (1982 est.)[1] |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 96% | 96% | 96% | age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970 est.)[1] |
Samoa | 99.7% | 99.6% | 99.7% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
San Marino | 96% | 97% | 95% | age 10 and over can read and write[1] |
Sao Tome and Principe | 84.9% | 92.2% | 77.9% | age 15 and over can read and write (2001 census)[1] |
Saudi Arabia | 86.6% | 90.4% | 81.3% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Senegal | 39.3% | 51.1% | 29.2% | age 15 and over can read and write (2002 est.)[1] |
Serbia | 98% | 99.2% | 96.9% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1] |
Seychelles | 91.8% | 91.4% | 92.3% | age 15 and over can read and write (2002 census)[1] |
Sierra Leone | 35.1% | 46.9% | 24.4% | age 15 and over can read and write (2004 est.)[1] |
Singapore | 92.5% | 96.6% | 88.6% | age 15 and over can read and write (2000 census)[1] |
Slovakia | 99.6% | 99.7% | 99.6% | age 15 and over can read and write (2004)[1] |
Slovenia | 99.7% | 99.7% | 99.7% | (2010 est.)[1] |
Solomon Islands | N/A | N/A | N/A | [1] |
Somalia | N/A | N/A | N/A | [11] |
South Africa | 93% | 93.9% | 92.2% | age 15 and over can read and write (2011 est.)[1] |
South Sudan | 27% | 40% | 16% | age 15 and over can read and write[1] |
Spain | 97.7% | 98.5% | 97% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Sri Lanka | 91.2% | 92.6% | 90% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 census)[1] |
Sudan | 71% | 71.8% | 50.5% | age 15 and over can read and write[1] |
Suriname | 89.6% | 92% | 87.2% | age 15 and over can read and write (2004 census)[1] |
Svalbard | N/A | N/A | N/A | [1] |
Swaziland | 81.6% | 82.6% | 80.8% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
Sweden | 99% | 99% | 99% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
Switzerland | 99% | 99% | 99% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
Syria | 79.6% | 86% | 73.6% | age 15 and over can read and write (2004 census)[1] |
Taiwan | 98.04% | N/A | N/A | age 15 and over can read and write (2011)[12] |
Tajikistan | 99.7% | 99.8% | 99.6% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Tanzania | 69.4% | 77.5% | 62.2% | age 15 and over can read and write (2002 census)[1] |
Thailand | 92.6% | 94.9% | 90.5% | age 15 and over can read and write (2000 census)[1] |
Timor-Leste | 58.6% | N/A | N/A | age 15 and over can read and write (2002)[1] |
Togo | 60.9% | 75.4% | 46.9% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
Tokelau | N/A | N/A | N/A | [1] |
Tonga | 98.9% | 98.8% | 99% | can read and write Tongan and/or English (1999 est.)[1] |
Trinidad and Tobago | 98.6% | 99.1% | 98% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
Tunisia | 74.3% | 83.4% | 65.3% | age 15 and over can read and write (2004 census)[1] |
Turkey | 95.3% | 98.3% | 92.2% | age 15 and over can read and write (2012 est.)[13] |
Turkmenistan | 98.8% | 99.3% | 98.3% | age 15 and over can read and write (1999 est.)[1] |
Turks and Caicos Islands | 98% | 99% | 98% | age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970 est.)[1] |
Tuvalu | N/A | N/A | N/A | [1] |
Uganda | 66.8% | 76.8% | 57.7% | age 15 and over can read and write (2002 census)[1] |
Ukraine | 99.7% | 99.8% | 99.6% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
United Arab Emirates | 77.9% | 76.1% | 81.7% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
United Kingdom | 95% | 95% | 95% | age 15 and over has achieved Entry Level 1 literacy skills (2011)[14] |
United States | 99% | 99% | 99% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
United States Virgin Islands | 90-95% est. | N/A | N/A | age 15 and over can read and write (2005 est.)[1] |
Uruguay | 98% | 97.6% | 98.4% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
Uzbekistan | 99.3% | 99.6% | 99% | age 15 and over can read and write (2003 est.)[1] |
Vanuatu | 74% | N/A | N/A | age 15 and over can read and write (1999 census)[1] |
Vatican City | 100% | 100% | 100% | [1] |
Venezuela | 93% | 93.3% | 92.7% | age 15 and over can read and write (2001 census)[1] |
Vietnam | 94% | 96.1% | 92% | age 15 and over can read and write (2002 est.)[1] |
Wallis and Futuna | 50% | 50% | 50% | age 15 and over can read and write (1969 est.)[1] |
Western Sahara | N/A | N/A | N/A | [1] |
Yemen | 63.9% | 81.2% | 46.8% | age 15 and over can read and write (2010 est.)[1] |
Zambia | 80.6% | 86.8% | 74.8% | age 15 and over can read and write English (2003 est.)[1] |
Zimbabwe | 90.7% | 94.2% | 87.2% | age 15 and over can read and write English (2003 est.)[1] |