Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female was 57.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female in Sri Lanka, 2001–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 57.0% for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 13 years on record.
The figure is down 3.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female in Sri Lanka peaked at 61.0% in 2006 and was at its lowest, 57.0%, in 2019.
That places Sri Lanka 39th out of 59 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 13 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 59.0% | — |
| 2006 | 61.0% | +3.4% |
| 2008 | 60.0% | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 59.0% | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 59.0% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 58.0% | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 58.0% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 57.0% | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 58.0% | +1.8% |
| 2021 | 58.0% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 58.0% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 57.0% | -1.7% |
| 2024 | 57.0% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 60.0% | 59.0% | 61.0% | 3 |
| 2010s | 58.2% | 57.0% | 59.0% | 5 |
| 2020s | 57.6% | 57.0% | 58.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 36 Egypt 59.0% compare
- 37 Ecuador 58.0% compare
- 37 Mali 58.0% compare
- 39 Bangladesh 57.0% compare
- 39 Saudi Arabia 57.0% compare
- 42 Timor-Leste 56.0% compare
More education data for Sri Lanka
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 155,543 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 224,799 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 214,300 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.54 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.58 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.89 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0715 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female in Sri Lanka?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female in Sri Lanka was 57.0% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 61.0% in 2006.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 57.0% in 2019.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female?
- Sri Lanka ranks 39th out of 59 countries with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release