South Africa vs Sri Lanka: Literacy rate
South Africa
91.2%
in 2024
Sri Lanka
92.7%
in 2024
South Africa rank
71st
Sri Lanka rank
68th
Literacy rate 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 4 times across 8 shared years of data; in 1950 it was Sri Lanka ahead.
South Africa ranks 71st and Sri Lanka ranks 68th of 128 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, South Africa averaged higher in 1 and Sri Lanka in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Sri Lanka | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 42.5% | 62.5% | 20.0% | Sri Lanka |
| 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 literacy rate, South Africa or Sri Lanka?
- Sri Lanka, at 92.7% against 91.2% in South Africa as of 2024.
- What is the difference in literacy rate 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?
- 8 years are reported by both, from 1950 to 2024.
- How do South Africa and Sri Lanka rank globally for literacy rate?
- South Africa ranks 71st and Sri Lanka ranks 68th 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.
Individual pages
About this data
Share of adults who can read and write a simple statement about their everyday life.