South Africa vs Sri Lanka: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes
South Africa
91.2%
in 2024
Sri Lanka
92.7%
in 2024
South Africa rank
45th
Sri Lanka rank
44th
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes over time
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
How they compare
Sri Lanka currently reports 92.7% against 91.2% in South Africa, a difference of 1.5%.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 7 shared years of data; in 2010 it was South Africa ahead.
South Africa ranks 45th and Sri Lanka ranks 44th of 89 countries.
Across the 2 decades both report, South Africa averaged higher in 1 and Sri Lanka in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Sri Lanka | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 93.6% | 92.2% | 1.4% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 90.6% | 92.6% | 2.0% | Sri Lanka |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes, South Africa or Sri Lanka?
- Sri Lanka, at 92.7% against 91.2% in South Africa as of 2024.
- What is the difference in adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes between South Africa and Sri Lanka?
- 1.5%, with Sri Lanka ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Sri Lanka?
- 7 years are reported by both, from 2010 to 2024.
- How do South Africa and Sri Lanka rank globally for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes?
- South Africa ranks 45th and Sri Lanka ranks 44th 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