South Africa vs Thailand: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes
South Africa
91.2%
in 2024
Thailand
91.1%
in 2022
South Africa rank
45th
Thailand rank
46th
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes over time
- South Africa
- Thailand
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 91.2% against 91.1% in Thailand, a difference of 0.1%.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 5 shared years of data; in 1980 it was Thailand ahead.
South Africa ranks 45th and Thailand ranks 46th of 89 countries.
Across the 2 decades both report, South Africa averaged higher in 1 and Thailand in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Thailand | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 76.2% | 88.0% | 11.8% | Thailand |
| 2010s | 93.5% | 93.1% | 0.4% | 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, South Africa or Thailand?
- South Africa, at 91.2% against 91.1% in Thailand as of 2024.
- What is the difference in adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes between South Africa and Thailand?
- 0.1%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Thailand?
- 5 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2019.
- How do South Africa and Thailand rank globally for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes?
- South Africa ranks 45th and Thailand ranks 46th 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