Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Western Balkans
UNICEF: Western Balkans: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes was 98.5% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Latest (2024)
98.5%
Change on year
up 0.0%
Rank
27th
of 203 groups
All-time high
98.5%
in 2024
All-time low
94.0%
in 1991
Years of data
34
1991–2024
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Western Balkans, 1991–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Western Balkans is 98.5%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Western Balkans peaked at 98.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 94.0%, in 1991.
UNICEF: Western Balkans ranks 27th of 203 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Western Balkans, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 94.0% | — |
| 1992 | 94.1% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 94.2% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 94.2% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 94.3% | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 94.5% | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 94.6% | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 95.8% | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 96.0% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 96.3% | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 96.5% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 96.7% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 96.8% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 97.0% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 97.1% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 96.8% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 96.9% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 97.2% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 97.2% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 97.3% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 97.4% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 97.6% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 97.3% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 97.4% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 97.5% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 97.6% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 98.3% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 98.4% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 98.5% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 98.4% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 98.5% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 98.5% | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 98.5% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 98.5% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 94.6% | 94.0% | 96.0% | 9 |
| 2000s | 96.8% | 96.3% | 97.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 97.7% | 97.3% | 98.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 98.5% | 98.4% | 98.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: Western Balkans
- 24 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 97.2% compare
- 25 China 96.7% compare
- 26 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 96.7% compare
- 27 Macau, China 96.5% compare
- 28 Kuwait 96.5% compare
- 29 Chile 96.4% compare
- 30 Panama 96.2% compare
More education data for UNICEF: Western Balkans
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate -2.25 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate -1.64 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 571,333 (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate -1.4 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 544,823 (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -1.52 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate -0.7018 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.12 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 316,196 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 45,751 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Western Balkans?
- Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in UNICEF: Western Balkans was 98.5% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Western Balkans?
- The highest recorded value was 98.5% in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Western Balkans?
- The lowest recorded value was 94.0% in 1991.
- How does UNICEF: Western Balkans rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes?
- UNICEF: Western Balkans ranks 27th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: Western Balkans?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this UNICEF: Western Balkans 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