Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, male in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, male was 92.5% in 2019. ▲ Rising
Latest (2019)
92.5%
World rank
48th
of 88 countries
All-time high
95.0%
in 2012
All-time low
73.1%
in 1981
Years of data
5
1981–2019
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, male in Sao Tome and Principe, 1981–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
Sao Tome and Principe recorded 92.5% for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, male in 2019.
The figure is down 2.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, male in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 95.0% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 73.1%, in 1981.
That places Sao Tome and Principe 48th out of 88 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, male in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 73.1% | — |
| 1991 | 85.2% | +16.6% |
| 2001 | 92.2% | +8.2% |
| 2012 | 95.0% | +3.0% |
| 2019 | 92.5% | -2.6% |
Sao Tome and Principe compared with similar countries
- Sao Tome and Principe's 92.5% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 83.7%, 1.1× the median. (30 countries reporting)
- Sao Tome and Principe's 92.5% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 79.2%, 1.2× the median. (28 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 73.1% | 73.1% | 73.1% | 1 |
| 1990s | 85.2% | 85.2% | 85.2% | 1 |
| 2000s | 92.2% | 92.2% | 92.2% | 1 |
| 2010s | 93.7% | 92.5% | 95.0% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Sao Tome and Principe
- 45 Cape Verde 92.9% compare
- 46 Iran, Islamic Republic of 92.8% compare
- 47 Tunisia 92.7% compare
- 49 El Salvador 91.6% compare
- 50 South Africa 91.5% compare
- 51 Thailand 90.7% compare
More education data for Sao Tome and Principe
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 936 (2016)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 4,544 (2017)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 4,458 (2016)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 4,769 (2016)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 25,875 (2017)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 37,172 (2017)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.14 % change on previous year (2017)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2017)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1796 units per person (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, male in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, male in Sao Tome and Principe was 92.5% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, male recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 95.0% in 2012.
- What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, male recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was 73.1% in 1981.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, male?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 48th out of 88 countries with data for 2019.
- Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, male rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sao Tome and Principe data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release