Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Saarc (saarc) (unsdcode:98428)
ESCAP: Saarc (saarc) (unsdcode:98428): Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes was 75.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Saarc (saarc) (unsdcode:98428), 1975–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Saarc (saarc) (unsdcode:98428) stood at 75.8%. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 10.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Saarc (saarc) (unsdcode:98428) peaked at 75.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 36.2%, in 1975.
ESCAP: Saarc (saarc) (unsdcode:98428) ranks 133rd of 203 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Saarc (saarc) (unsdcode:98428), year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 36.2% | — |
| 1976 | 36.2% | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 36.9% | +1.8% |
| 1978 | 37.6% | +1.8% |
| 1979 | 38.2% | +1.7% |
| 1980 | 38.9% | +1.7% |
| 1981 | 39.5% | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 40.1% | +1.7% |
| 1983 | 40.8% | +1.6% |
| 1984 | 41.4% | +1.6% |
| 1985 | 42.1% | +1.6% |
| 1986 | 42.7% | +1.6% |
| 1987 | 43.4% | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 44.1% | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 44.9% | +1.7% |
| 1990 | 45.6% | +1.7% |
| 1991 | 46.3% | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 47.3% | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 48.2% | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 49.0% | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 49.7% | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 50.5% | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 51.3% | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 56.1% | +9.3% |
| 1999 | 56.9% | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 57.6% | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 58.4% | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 59.2% | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 60.1% | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 60.9% | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 60.7% | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 60.9% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 61.7% | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 62.6% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 63.5% | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 66.1% | +4.1% |
| 2011 | 66.7% | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 66.7% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 67.8% | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 68.5% | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 69.9% | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 71.2% | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 71.8% | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 72.3% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 72.1% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 72.8% | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 73.7% | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 74.5% | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 75.2% | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 75.8% | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 37.0% | 36.2% | 38.2% | 5 |
| 1980s | 41.8% | 38.9% | 44.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 50.1% | 45.6% | 56.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 60.6% | 57.6% | 63.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.3% | 66.1% | 72.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 74.4% | 72.8% | 75.8% | 5 |
More education data for ESCAP: Saarc (saarc) (unsdcode:98428)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 7.86 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -0.6662 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 6.43 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 2.87 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 84.88 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.1267 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 91.07 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate -1.39 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 53.53 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 26.43 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Saarc (saarc) (unsdcode:98428)?
- Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in ESCAP: Saarc (saarc) (unsdcode:98428) was 75.8% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ESCAP: Saarc (saarc) (unsdcode:98428)?
- The highest recorded value was 75.8% in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in ESCAP: Saarc (saarc) (unsdcode:98428)?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.2% in 1975.
- How does ESCAP: Saarc (saarc) (unsdcode:98428) rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes?
- ESCAP: Saarc (saarc) (unsdcode:98428) ranks 133rd out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in ESCAP: Saarc (saarc) (unsdcode:98428)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this ESCAP: Saarc (saarc) (unsdcode:98428) 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