Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: North America
UNICEF: North America: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes was 98.8% in 2022. ▬ Flat
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: North America, 2003–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: North America is 98.8%, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 12 years on record.
The figure is up 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: North America peaked at 98.8% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 98.6%, in 2003.
That places UNICEF: North America 17th out of 203 groups with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: North America, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 98.6% | — |
| 2004 | 98.6% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 98.7% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 98.7% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 98.7% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 98.7% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 98.8% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 98.8% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 98.8% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 98.8% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 98.8% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 98.8% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 98.7% | 98.6% | 98.7% | 6 |
| 2010s | 98.8% | 98.8% | 98.8% | 3 |
| 2020s | 98.8% | 98.8% | 98.8% | 3 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: North America
- 14 Philippines 98.5% compare
- 15 Maldives 98.2% compare
- 16 Samoa 98.0% compare
- 17 Palestine, State of 97.9% compare
- 18 Saudi Arabia 97.9% compare
- 19 Bahrain 97.8% compare
- 20 Albania 97.7% compare
More education data for UNICEF: North America
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 19.12 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate -0.2592 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 13.65 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.3043 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 14.49 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.3047 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 8.81 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -2.61 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) -3.86 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) -3.89 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: North America?
- Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: North America was 98.8% in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: North America?
- The highest recorded value was 98.8% in 2021.
- What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 98.6% in 2003.
- How does UNICEF: North America rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes?
- UNICEF: North America ranks 17th out of 203 groups with data for 2022.
- Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: North America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this UNICEF: North America 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