Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102)
ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102): Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes was 71.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102), 1988–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102) is 71.1%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 37 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 7.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102) peaked at 71.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 50.6%, in 1988.
That places ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102) 150th out of 203 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 37 years of available data.
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102), year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 50.6% | — |
| 1989 | 51.1% | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 51.7% | +1.2% |
| 1991 | 52.3% | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 52.8% | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 53.3% | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 53.9% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 54.5% | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 55.0% | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 55.7% | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 55.5% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 56.2% | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 56.7% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 57.1% | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 57.4% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 57.9% | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 57.8% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 56.7% | -1.9% |
| 2006 | 55.5% | -2.1% |
| 2007 | 57.4% | +3.5% |
| 2008 | 57.8% | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 58.3% | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 59.0% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 62.0% | +5.3% |
| 2012 | 64.4% | +3.8% |
| 2013 | 65.5% | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 65.9% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 66.5% | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 67.3% | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 68.4% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 68.9% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 69.2% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 69.6% | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 70.0% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 70.4% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 70.8% | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 71.1% | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 50.9% | 50.6% | 51.1% | 2 |
| 1990s | 54.1% | 51.7% | 56.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 57.3% | 55.5% | 58.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 65.7% | 59.0% | 69.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 70.4% | 69.6% | 71.1% | 5 |
More education data for ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.98 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.74 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 12.59 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 3.43 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 14.95 million (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 3.58 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 12.51 million (2022)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.9236 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.29 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 41.20 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102)?
- Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102) was 71.1% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102)?
- The highest recorded value was 71.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102)?
- The lowest recorded value was 50.6% in 1988.
- How does ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102) rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes?
- ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102) ranks 150th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this ECA: East Africa (unsdcode:98102) data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release