Arab World vs Turkey: Literacy rate, adult total

Arab World
79.0%
in 2024
Turkey
97.3%
in 2021
Arab World rank
23rd
Turkey rank
23rd

Literacy rate, adult total over time

  • Arab World
  • Turkey
020406080100197519992024

How they compare

Turkey currently reports 97.3% against 79.0% in Arab World, a difference of 18.3%.

That makes Turkey's figure about 1.2 times Arab World's.

Across all 18 years both countries report, Turkey has been ahead every year.

Arab World ranks 23rd and Turkey ranks 23rd of 39 groups.

Turkey has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Arab World Turkey Difference Ahead
1980s 50.3% 70.8% 20.6% Turkey
1990s 56.0% 79.2% 23.3% Turkey
2000s 70.7% 88.6% 17.9% Turkey
2010s 75.7% 95.2% 19.5% Turkey
2020s 77.9% 97.3% 19.4% Turkey

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher literacy rate, adult total, Arab World or Turkey?
Turkey, at 97.3% against 79.0% in Arab World as of 2021.
What is the difference in literacy rate, adult total between Arab World and Turkey?
18.3%, with Turkey ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Arab World and Turkey?
18 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2021.
How do Arab World and Turkey rank globally for literacy rate, adult total?
Arab World ranks 23rd and Turkey ranks 23rd of 39 groups.
Where does this data come from?
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Arab World vs Turkey: Literacy rate, adult total. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 18 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/literacy-rate-adult-total-percent-of-people-ages-15-and-above/arab-world/turkiye/

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About this data

Indicator
Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above)
Unit
% of people ages 15 and above
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
128 places, 2,592 data points, 1973–2024
Last refreshed

Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.