South Africa vs Sri Lanka: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes
South Africa
92.6%
in 2024
Sri Lanka
94.3%
in 2024
South Africa rank
46th
Sri Lanka rank
43rd
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes over time
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
How they compare
Sri Lanka currently reports 94.3% against 92.6% in South Africa, a difference of 1.7%.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 7 shared years of data; in 2010 it was South Africa ahead.
South Africa ranks 46th and Sri Lanka ranks 43rd of 87 countries.
Across the 2 decades both report, South Africa averaged higher in 1 and Sri Lanka in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Sri Lanka | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 94.4% | 92.7% | 1.7% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 91.9% | 93.8% | 1.8% | Sri Lanka |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes, South Africa or Sri Lanka?
- Sri Lanka, at 94.3% against 92.6% in South Africa as of 2024.
- What is the difference in literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes between South Africa and Sri Lanka?
- 1.7%, with Sri Lanka ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Sri Lanka?
- 7 years are reported by both, from 2010 to 2024.
- How do South Africa and Sri Lanka rank globally for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
- South Africa ranks 46th and Sri Lanka ranks 43rd of 87 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes (%). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release