Bangladesh vs South Africa: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes
Bangladesh
79.0%
in 2022
South Africa
84.8%
in 2024
Bangladesh rank
33rd
South Africa rank
30th
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes over time
- Bangladesh
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 84.8% against 79.0% in Bangladesh, a difference of 5.8%.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times Bangladesh's.
Across all 7 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.
Bangladesh ranks 33rd and South Africa ranks 30th of 53 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Bangladesh | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 58.5% | 87.9% | 29.4% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 71.4% | 82.8% | 11.4% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes, Bangladesh or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 84.8% against 79.0% in Bangladesh as of 2024.
- What is the difference in adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes between Bangladesh and South Africa?
- 5.8%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Bangladesh and South Africa?
- 7 years are reported by both, from 2011 to 2021.
- How do Bangladesh and South Africa rank globally for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, both sexes?
- Bangladesh ranks 33rd and South Africa ranks 30th of 53 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, 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