Netherlands vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Literacy rate

Netherlands
98.5%
in 1950
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
98.5%
in 1950
Netherlands rank
19th
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank
19th

Literacy rate over time

  • Netherlands
  • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
020406080100147517121950

How they compare

Netherlands currently reports 98.5% against 98.5% in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a difference of 0.0%.

The two have swapped places 3 times across 5 shared years of data; in 1475 it was Netherlands ahead.

Netherlands ranks 19th and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 19th of 128 countries.

Across the 5 decades both report, Netherlands averaged higher in 2 and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade Netherlands United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Difference Ahead
1470s 17.0% 5.0% 12.0% Netherlands
1550s 12.0% 16.0% 4.0% United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
1650s 53.0% 53.0% 0.0%
1750s 85.0% 54.0% 31.0% Netherlands
1950s 98.5% 98.5% 0.0%

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher literacy rate, Netherlands or United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Netherlands, at 98.5% against 98.5% in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as of 1950.
What is the difference in literacy rate between Netherlands and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
0.0%, with Netherlands ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Netherlands and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
5 years are reported by both, from 1475 to 1950.
How do Netherlands and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank globally for literacy rate?
Netherlands ranks 19th and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 19th of 128 countries.
Where does this data come from?
UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Literacy rate. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Netherlands vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Literacy rate. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/cross-country-literacy-rates/netherlands/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Literacy rate
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
128 places, 1,272 data points, 1475–2024
Last refreshed

Share of adults who can read and write a simple statement about their everyday life.