El Salvador vs South Africa: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes
El Salvador
89.8%
in 2024
South Africa
91.2%
in 2024
El Salvador rank
48th
South Africa rank
45th
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes over time
- El Salvador
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 91.2% against 89.8% in El Salvador, a difference of 1.4%.
Across all 11 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.
El Salvador ranks 48th and South Africa ranks 45th of 89 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | El Salvador | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 83.1% | 90.8% | 7.7% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 86.9% | 93.6% | 6.7% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 89.4% | 90.6% | 1.2% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes, El Salvador or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 91.2% against 89.8% in El Salvador as of 2024.
- What is the difference in adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes between El Salvador and South Africa?
- 1.4%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for El Salvador and South Africa?
- 11 years are reported by both, from 2007 to 2024.
- How do El Salvador and South Africa rank globally for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes?
- El Salvador ranks 48th and South Africa ranks 45th of 89 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes (%). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release