China vs South Asia (IDA & IBRD): Literacy rate, adult total
China
96.7%
in 2020
South Asia (IDA & IBRD)
78.2%
in 2024
China rank
25th
South Asia (IDA & IBRD) rank
25th
Literacy rate, adult total over time
- China
- South Asia (IDA & IBRD)
How they compare
China currently reports 96.7% against 78.2% in South Asia (IDA & IBRD), a difference of 18.5%.
That makes China's figure about 1.2 times South Asia (IDA & IBRD)'s.
Across all 5 years both countries report, China has been ahead every year.
China ranks 25th and South Asia (IDA & IBRD) ranks 25th of 89 countries.
China has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | South Asia (IDA & IBRD) | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 65.5% | 41.4% | 24.1% | China |
| 1990s | 77.8% | 47.0% | 30.7% | China |
| 2000s | 90.9% | 59.5% | 31.4% | China |
| 2010s | 95.1% | 67.9% | 27.2% | China |
| 2020s | 96.7% | 75.2% | 21.5% | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher literacy rate, adult total, China or South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- China, at 96.7% against 78.2% in South Asia (IDA & IBRD) as of 2020.
- What is the difference in literacy rate, adult total between China and South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- 18.5%, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- 5 years are reported by both, from 1982 to 2020.
- How do China and South Asia (IDA & IBRD) rank globally for literacy rate, adult total?
- China ranks 25th and South Asia (IDA & IBRD) ranks 25th of 89 countries.
- 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.
Individual pages
About this data
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.