Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Association of South East Asian Nations (asean)
UNICEF: Association of South East Asian Nations (asean): Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes was 96.0% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Association of South East Asian Nations (asean), 1974–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Association of South East Asian Nations (asean) stood at 96.0%. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Association of South East Asian Nations (asean) peaked at 96.0% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 75.1%, in 1974.
That places UNICEF: Association of South East Asian Nations (asean) 48th out of 203 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Association of South East Asian Nations (asean), year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 75.1% | — |
| 1975 | 75.3% | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 76.0% | +0.9% |
| 1977 | 76.7% | +0.9% |
| 1978 | 77.3% | +0.9% |
| 1979 | 78.0% | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 78.6% | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 79.3% | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 79.9% | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 80.5% | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 81.0% | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 81.6% | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 81.8% | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 83.5% | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 84.2% | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 84.8% | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 85.2% | +0.6% |
| 1991 | 85.6% | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 86.0% | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 86.3% | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 87.0% | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 87.6% | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 88.0% | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 88.4% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 88.8% | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 89.0% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 89.4% | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 89.8% | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 90.1% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 90.5% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 90.7% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 91.1% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 91.5% | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 92.3% | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 92.8% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 93.2% | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 92.8% | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 93.1% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 93.4% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 93.2% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 94.1% | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 94.4% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 94.7% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 94.9% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 94.7% | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 94.8% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 95.3% | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 95.5% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 95.7% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 95.8% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 96.0% | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 76.4% | 75.1% | 78.0% | 6 |
| 1980s | 81.5% | 78.6% | 84.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 87.2% | 85.2% | 89.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 91.1% | 89.4% | 93.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 94.0% | 92.8% | 94.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 95.6% | 95.3% | 96.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: Association of South East Asian Nations (asean)
- 45 South Africa 91.2% compare
- 46 Thailand 91.1% compare
- 47 Lesotho 90.5% compare
- 48 El Salvador 89.8% compare
- 49 Iran 88.9% compare
- 50 Cape Verde 88.5% compare
- 51 Honduras 88.2% compare
More education data for UNICEF: Association of South East Asian Nations (asean)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 1.66 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 29.31 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.083 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 30.66 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.72 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 15.13 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 2.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 22.67 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 10.33 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.12 % change on previous year (2024)
All data for UNICEF: Association of South East Asian Nations (asean) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Association of South East Asian Nations (asean)?
- Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Association of South East Asian Nations (asean) was 96.0% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Association of South East Asian Nations (asean)?
- The highest recorded value was 96.0% in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Association of South East Asian Nations (asean)?
- The lowest recorded value was 75.1% in 1974.
- How does UNICEF: Association of South East Asian Nations (asean) rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes?
- UNICEF: Association of South East Asian Nations (asean) ranks 48th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: Association of South East Asian Nations (asean)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: Association of South East Asian Nations (asean) 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