Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia
UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes was 98.8% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
98.8%
Change on year
up 0.0%
Rank
22nd
of 203 groups
All-time high
98.8%
in 2023
All-time low
95.8%
in 1994
Years of data
29
1994–2023
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia, 1994–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia stood at 98.8%. That is the highest value across all 29 years on record.
The figure is up 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia peaked at 98.8% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 95.8%, in 1994.
That places UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia 22nd out of 203 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 95.8% | — |
| 1995 | 96.0% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 96.1% | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 96.3% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 96.4% | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 96.5% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 96.6% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 96.9% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 97.0% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 97.1% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 97.2% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 97.2% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 97.3% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 97.4% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 97.7% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 97.9% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 98.0% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 98.1% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 98.2% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 98.2% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 98.3% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 98.3% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 98.4% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 98.5% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 98.6% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 98.6% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 98.7% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 98.8% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 98.8% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 96.2% | 95.8% | 96.5% | 6 |
| 2000s | 97.2% | 96.6% | 97.7% | 9 |
| 2010s | 98.2% | 97.9% | 98.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 98.7% | 98.6% | 98.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia
More education data for UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 25.46 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 3.52 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.2951 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 83.82 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate -0.0579 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 26.92 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate -0.0467 % change on previous year (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 492,196 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 14.95 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 13.77 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia?
- Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia was 98.8% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 98.8% in 2023.
- What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 95.8% in 1994.
- How does UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes?
- UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia ranks 22nd out of 203 groups with data for 2023.
- Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: Europe and Central Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this UNICEF: Europe and Central 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