Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Small Island Developing States
SDG: Small Island Developing States: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes was 83.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
83.8%
Change on year
down 0.1%
Rank
92nd
of 203 groups
All-time high
84.3%
in 2016
All-time low
74.4%
in 1976
Years of data
49
1976–2024
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Small Island Developing States, 1976–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Small Island Developing States stood at 83.8%.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Small Island Developing States peaked at 84.3% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 74.4%, in 1976.
SDG: Small Island Developing States ranks 92nd of 203 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
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: Small Island Developing States, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 74.4% | — |
| 1977 | 74.6% | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 75.0% | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 75.3% | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 75.7% | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 76.0% | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 76.3% | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 76.8% | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 77.1% | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 77.5% | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 77.8% | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 78.4% | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 78.7% | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 79.1% | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 79.5% | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 79.7% | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 80.1% | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 80.4% | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 80.7% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 81.0% | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 81.3% | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 81.7% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 81.9% | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 82.1% | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 82.5% | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 82.8% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 83.0% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 83.3% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 83.6% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 83.9% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 82.3% | -1.9% |
| 2007 | 82.7% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 83.0% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 83.0% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 83.0% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 83.3% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 83.4% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 83.6% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 83.8% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 83.9% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 84.3% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 84.2% | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 84.2% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 84.2% | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 84.1% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 84.1% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 83.9% | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 83.8% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 83.8% | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 74.8% | 74.4% | 75.3% | 4 |
| 1980s | 77.3% | 75.7% | 79.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 80.8% | 79.5% | 82.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 83.0% | 82.3% | 83.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 83.8% | 83.0% | 84.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 83.9% | 83.8% | 84.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Small Island Developing States
More education data for SDG: Small Island Developing States
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.27 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.24 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate -0.1626 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.33 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.03 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 430,327 (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate -0.1765 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -0.0678 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 0.021 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate -0.756 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Small Island Developing States?
- Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in SDG: Small Island Developing States was 83.8% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in SDG: Small Island Developing States?
- The highest recorded value was 84.3% in 2016.
- What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in SDG: Small Island Developing States?
- The lowest recorded value was 74.4% in 1976.
- How does SDG: Small Island Developing States rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes?
- SDG: Small Island Developing States ranks 92nd out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Small Island Developing States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: Small Island Developing States 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