Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female in WB: South Asia
WB: South Asia: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female was 71.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female in WB: South Asia, 1975–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female in WB: South Asia is 71.6%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 15.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female in WB: South Asia peaked at 71.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 22.2%, in 1975.
WB: South Asia ranks 121st of 203 groups on this measure, 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, female in WB: South Asia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 22.2% | — |
| 1976 | 22.2% | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 23.0% | +3.5% |
| 1978 | 23.8% | +3.4% |
| 1979 | 24.6% | +3.4% |
| 1980 | 25.4% | +3.2% |
| 1981 | 26.1% | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 26.9% | +3.1% |
| 1983 | 27.8% | +3.0% |
| 1984 | 28.6% | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 29.4% | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 30.3% | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 31.1% | +2.9% |
| 1988 | 31.0% | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 32.0% | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 32.9% | +3.0% |
| 1991 | 33.8% | +2.8% |
| 1992 | 34.8% | +2.8% |
| 1993 | 35.7% | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 36.7% | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 37.7% | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 38.8% | +2.7% |
| 1997 | 39.8% | +2.7% |
| 1998 | 44.8% | +12.5% |
| 1999 | 45.9% | +2.5% |
| 2000 | 47.0% | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 48.0% | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 49.1% | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 50.2% | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 51.3% | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 50.2% | -2.0% |
| 2006 | 50.7% | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 51.9% | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 53.0% | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 54.1% | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 58.3% | +7.9% |
| 2011 | 59.3% | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 59.4% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 60.9% | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 61.9% | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 63.5% | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 65.1% | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 66.1% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 67.0% | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 66.9% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 67.9% | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 68.9% | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 69.9% | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 70.8% | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 71.6% | +1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 23.2% | 22.2% | 24.6% | 5 |
| 1980s | 28.9% | 25.4% | 32.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 38.1% | 32.9% | 45.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 50.5% | 47.0% | 54.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 62.9% | 58.3% | 67.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 69.8% | 67.9% | 71.6% | 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, female in WB: South Asia?
- Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female in WB: South Asia was 71.6% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female recorded in WB: South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 71.6% in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female recorded in WB: South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.2% in 1975.
- How does WB: South Asia rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female?
- WB: South Asia ranks 121st out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, female rising or falling in WB: South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.7%. 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, female (%). 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