Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in WB: East Asia & Pacific
WB: East Asia & Pacific: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes was 96.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
96.6%
Change on year
up 0.1%
Rank
43rd
of 203 groups
All-time high
96.6%
in 2024
All-time low
66.0%
in 1976
Years of data
49
1976–2024
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in WB: East Asia & Pacific, 1976–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
WB: East Asia & Pacific recorded 96.6% for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in 2024. That is the highest value across all 49 years on record.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in WB: East Asia & Pacific peaked at 96.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 66.0%, in 1976.
WB: East Asia & Pacific ranks 43rd of 203 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 49 years of available data.
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in WB: East Asia & Pacific, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 66.0% | — |
| 1977 | 66.2% | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 67.3% | +1.6% |
| 1979 | 68.5% | +1.8% |
| 1980 | 69.6% | +1.6% |
| 1981 | 70.6% | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 71.6% | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 72.5% | +1.3% |
| 1984 | 73.5% | +1.4% |
| 1985 | 74.4% | +1.3% |
| 1986 | 75.3% | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 76.4% | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 80.1% | +4.9% |
| 1989 | 80.8% | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 81.3% | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 81.8% | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 82.3% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 82.8% | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 83.3% | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 83.8% | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 84.3% | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 89.3% | +5.9% |
| 1998 | 89.6% | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 90.0% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 90.3% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 90.6% | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 91.0% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 91.3% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 91.7% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 92.0% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 92.4% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 93.5% | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 93.8% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 94.1% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 94.1% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 94.3% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 94.5% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 94.6% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 95.1% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 95.3% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 95.5% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 95.7% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 95.7% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 95.9% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 96.1% | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 96.2% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 96.4% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 96.5% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 96.6% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 67.0% | 66.0% | 68.5% | 4 |
| 1980s | 74.5% | 69.6% | 80.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 84.9% | 81.3% | 90.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 92.1% | 90.3% | 94.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 95.1% | 94.1% | 95.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 96.4% | 96.1% | 96.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near WB: East Asia & Pacific
More education data for WB: East Asia & Pacific
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.4 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 82.79 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.02 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 91.26 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.55 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 61.72 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 2.09 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 45.77 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 8.16 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 93.00 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in WB: East Asia & Pacific?
- Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in WB: East Asia & Pacific was 96.6% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in WB: East Asia & Pacific?
- The highest recorded value was 96.6% in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in WB: East Asia & Pacific?
- The lowest recorded value was 66.0% in 1976.
- How does WB: East Asia & Pacific rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes?
- WB: East Asia & Pacific ranks 43rd out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in WB: East Asia & Pacific?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this WB: East Asia & Pacific 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