Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia
SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes was 96.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia, 1976–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia is 96.9%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 49 years on record.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia peaked at 96.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 65.8%, in 1976.
SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia ranks 36th of 203 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 49 years of available data.
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 65.8% | — |
| 1977 | 66.0% | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 67.1% | +1.7% |
| 1979 | 68.3% | +1.9% |
| 1980 | 69.5% | +1.6% |
| 1981 | 70.5% | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 71.5% | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 72.4% | +1.3% |
| 1984 | 73.4% | +1.4% |
| 1985 | 74.3% | +1.3% |
| 1986 | 75.2% | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 76.3% | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 80.1% | +5.0% |
| 1989 | 80.8% | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 81.3% | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 81.9% | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 82.3% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 82.8% | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 83.3% | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 83.9% | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 84.3% | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 89.4% | +6.0% |
| 1998 | 89.8% | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 90.1% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 90.4% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 90.8% | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 91.1% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 91.5% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 91.8% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 92.2% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 92.5% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 93.7% | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 94.0% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 94.3% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 94.2% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 94.5% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 94.7% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 94.8% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 95.3% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 95.5% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 95.7% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 95.9% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 96.0% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 96.1% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 96.3% | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 96.5% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 96.6% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 96.7% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 96.9% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 66.8% | 65.8% | 68.3% | 4 |
| 1980s | 74.4% | 69.5% | 80.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 84.9% | 81.3% | 90.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 92.2% | 90.4% | 94.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 95.3% | 94.2% | 96.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 96.6% | 96.3% | 96.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia
More education data for SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.32 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 89.12 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.04 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 80.86 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.1689 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 10.74 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.278 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 88.74 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 98.09 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.58 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia?
- Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia was 96.9% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 96.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 65.8% in 1976.
- How does SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes?
- SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia ranks 36th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia 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