Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in Lao People's Democratic Republic
Lao People's Democratic Republic: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes was 75.6% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
75.6%
World rank
65th
of 89 countries
All-time high
84.7%
in 2015
All-time low
60.2%
in 1995
Years of data
7
1995–2023
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in Lao People's Democratic Republic, 1995–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in Lao People's Democratic Republic stood at 75.6%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 10.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in Lao People's Democratic Republic peaked at 84.7% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 60.2%, in 1995.
Lao People's Democratic Republic ranks 65th of 89 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in Lao People's Democratic Republic, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 60.2% | — |
| 2000 | 69.6% | +15.5% |
| 2001 | 68.7% | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 72.7% | +5.8% |
| 2015 | 84.7% | +16.5% |
| 2017 | 73.7% | -12.9% |
| 2023 | 75.6% | +2.6% |
Lao People's Democratic Republic compared with similar countries
- Lao People's Democratic Republic's 75.6% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 78.2%, 97% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
- Lao People's Democratic Republic's 75.6% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 96.1%, 79% of the median. (16 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 60.2% | 60.2% | 60.2% | 1 |
| 2000s | 70.3% | 68.7% | 72.7% | 3 |
| 2010s | 79.2% | 73.7% | 84.7% | 2 |
| 2020s | 75.6% | 75.6% | 75.6% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Lao People's Democratic Republic
More education data for Lao People's Democratic Republic
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 35,584 (2022)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 16,396 (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 116,303 (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 115,863 (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 532,092 (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 739,554 (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.0716 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0939 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in Lao People's Democratic Republic?
- Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in Lao People's Democratic Republic was 75.6% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in Lao People's Democratic Republic?
- The highest recorded value was 84.7% in 2015.
- What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in Lao People's Democratic Republic?
- The lowest recorded value was 60.2% in 1995.
- How does Lao People's Democratic Republic rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes?
- Lao People's Democratic Republic ranks 65th out of 89 countries with data for 2023.
- Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in Lao People's Democratic Republic?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lao People's Democratic Republic 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