Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in MDG: Developing Regions
MDG: Developing Regions: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes was 85.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
85.5%
Change on year
up 0.3%
Rank
89th
of 203 groups
All-time high
85.5%
in 2024
All-time low
56.1%
in 1975
Years of data
50
1975–2024
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in MDG: Developing Regions, 1975–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
MDG: Developing Regions recorded 85.5% for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in 2024. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 3.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in MDG: Developing Regions peaked at 85.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 56.1%, in 1975.
MDG: Developing Regions ranks 89th 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 MDG: Developing Regions, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 56.1% | — |
| 1976 | 56.3% | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 56.7% | +0.7% |
| 1978 | 57.5% | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 58.3% | +1.4% |
| 1980 | 59.0% | +1.3% |
| 1981 | 59.8% | +1.3% |
| 1982 | 60.5% | +1.2% |
| 1983 | 61.2% | +1.2% |
| 1984 | 62.1% | +1.4% |
| 1985 | 62.8% | +1.2% |
| 1986 | 63.5% | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 64.3% | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 66.3% | +3.1% |
| 1989 | 67.0% | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 67.7% | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 68.3% | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 69.0% | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 69.7% | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 70.3% | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 70.9% | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 71.5% | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 74.2% | +3.7% |
| 1998 | 75.8% | +2.2% |
| 1999 | 76.3% | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 76.7% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 77.1% | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 77.5% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 78.2% | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 78.6% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 78.7% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 78.7% | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 79.4% | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 79.9% | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 80.3% | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 81.1% | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 81.5% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 81.8% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 82.2% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 82.7% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 83.2% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 83.6% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 83.8% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 84.2% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 84.3% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 84.5% | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 84.8% | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 85.0% | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 85.3% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 85.5% | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 57.0% | 56.1% | 58.3% | 5 |
| 1980s | 62.7% | 59.0% | 67.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 71.4% | 67.7% | 76.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 78.5% | 76.7% | 80.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 82.8% | 81.1% | 84.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 85.0% | 84.5% | 85.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near MDG: Developing Regions
More education data for MDG: Developing Regions
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 552.42 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.8747 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 266.40 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 1.51 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 28.60 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.6758 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.89 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.63 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 339.76 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 286.02 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in MDG: Developing Regions?
- Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in MDG: Developing Regions was 85.5% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in MDG: Developing Regions?
- The highest recorded value was 85.5% in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in MDG: Developing Regions?
- The lowest recorded value was 56.1% in 1975.
- How does MDG: Developing Regions rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes?
- MDG: Developing Regions ranks 89th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in MDG: Developing Regions?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this MDG: Developing Regions 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