Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in WB: South Asia
WB: South Asia: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes was 78.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
78.2%
Change on year
up 0.9%
Rank
121st
of 203 groups
All-time high
78.2%
in 2024
All-time low
37.4%
in 1975
Years of data
50
1975–2024
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in WB: South Asia, 1975–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in WB: South Asia stood at 78.2%. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
The figure is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 10.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in WB: South Asia peaked at 78.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 37.4%, in 1975.
That places WB: South Asia 121st out of 203 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in WB: South Asia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 37.4% | — |
| 1976 | 37.4% | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 38.1% | +1.8% |
| 1978 | 38.8% | +1.8% |
| 1979 | 39.5% | +1.7% |
| 1980 | 40.1% | +1.6% |
| 1981 | 40.7% | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 41.4% | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 42.1% | +1.6% |
| 1984 | 42.8% | +1.6% |
| 1985 | 43.4% | +1.6% |
| 1986 | 44.1% | +1.5% |
| 1987 | 44.8% | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 45.5% | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 46.3% | +1.7% |
| 1990 | 47.0% | +1.7% |
| 1991 | 47.8% | +1.6% |
| 1992 | 48.6% | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 49.4% | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 50.1% | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 51.0% | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 51.8% | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 52.6% | +1.6% |
| 1998 | 57.9% | +10.1% |
| 1999 | 58.7% | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 59.5% | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 60.3% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 61.1% | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 61.9% | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 62.7% | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 62.4% | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 62.5% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 63.4% | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 64.2% | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 65.0% | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 67.9% | +4.5% |
| 2011 | 68.7% | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 68.5% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 69.8% | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 70.6% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 72.0% | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 73.3% | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 74.0% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 74.7% | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 74.5% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 75.2% | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 76.1% | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 76.9% | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 77.6% | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 78.2% | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 38.3% | 37.4% | 39.5% | 5 |
| 1980s | 43.1% | 40.1% | 46.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 51.5% | 47.0% | 58.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 62.3% | 59.5% | 65.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 71.4% | 67.9% | 74.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 76.8% | 75.2% | 78.2% | 5 |
More education data for WB: South Asia
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 4.46 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate -1.3 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 74.44 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 3.24 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 5.84 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -2.02 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 152.88 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 77.39 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 160.82 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 4.5 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in WB: South Asia?
- Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in WB: South Asia was 78.2% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in WB: South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 78.2% in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in WB: South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.4% in 1975.
- How does WB: South Asia rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes?
- WB: South Asia ranks 121st out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in WB: South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this WB: South 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 50 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release