Iran vs South Africa: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, male
Iran
93.3%
in 2016
South Africa
94.2%
in 2024
Iran rank
39th
South Africa rank
36th
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, male over time
- Iran
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 94.2% against 93.3% in Iran, a difference of 0.9%.
Across all 5 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.
Iran ranks 39th and South Africa ranks 36th of 57 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iran | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 86.5% | 90.8% | 4.4% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 92.5% | 96.2% | 3.8% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, male, Iran or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 94.2% against 93.3% in Iran as of 2024.
- What is the difference in adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, male between Iran and South Africa?
- 0.9%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iran and South Africa?
- 5 years are reported by both, from 1996 to 2016.
- How do Iran and South Africa rank globally for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, male?
- Iran ranks 39th and South Africa ranks 36th of 57 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, male (%). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release