Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female in Zambia
Zambia: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female was 65.4% in 2018. ▲ Rising
Latest (2018)
65.4%
World rank
29th
of 87 countries
All-time high
67.5%
in 2002
All-time low
61.9%
in 1990
Years of data
6
1990–2018
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female in Zambia, 1990–2018
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2018, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female in Zambia stood at 65.4%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female in Zambia peaked at 67.5% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 61.9%, in 1990.
That places Zambia 29th out of 87 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female in Zambia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 61.9% | — |
| 1999 | 63.7% | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 67.5% | +6.1% |
| 2007 | 63.9% | -5.4% |
| 2010 | 67.5% | +5.7% |
| 2018 | 65.4% | -3.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 62.8% | 61.9% | 63.7% | 2 |
| 2000s | 65.7% | 63.9% | 67.5% | 2 |
| 2010s | 66.5% | 65.4% | 67.5% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More education data for Zambia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 42,585 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 169,961 (2013)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.39 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.49 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.55 % change on previous year (2017)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2106 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.49 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female in Zambia?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female in Zambia was 65.4% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 67.5% in 2002.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 61.9% in 1990.
- How does Zambia rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female?
- Zambia ranks 29th out of 87 countries with data for 2018.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, % female rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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.
Download this data
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About this data
Share of the adult illiterate population (age 15+) that is female.