Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, male in Nepal

Nepal: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, male was 73.2% in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
73.2%
Change on year
up 6.8%
World rank
43rd
of 53 countries
All-time high
73.2%
in 2019
All-time low
29.6%
in 1981
Years of data
5
1981–2019

Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, male in Nepal, 1981–2019

0204060801981200020191981: 29.6 %2001: 59.3 %2011: 67.6 %2016: 68.5 %2019: 73.2 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, male in Nepal is 73.2%, measured in 2019. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.8% on the previous year and up 8.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, male in Nepal peaked at 73.2% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 29.6%, in 1981.

Nepal ranks 43rd of 53 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, male in Nepal, year by year

Annual values for Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, male (%) in Nepal, 1981 to 2019.
Year % Change
1981 29.6%
2001 59.3% +100.5%
2011 67.6% +14.1%
2016 68.5% +1.3%
2019 73.2% +6.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 29.6% 29.6% 29.6% 1
2000s 59.3% 59.3% 59.3% 1
2010s 69.8% 67.6% 73.2% 3

Countries ranked near Nepal

  1. 40 Egypt 79.2% compare
  2. 41 Rwanda 76.6% compare
  3. 42 Cambodia 76.1% compare
  4. 44 Togo 71.8% compare
  5. 45 Ethiopia 64.6% compare
  6. 46 Mozambique 62.6% compare

See the full ranking of 53 places →

More education data for Nepal

All data for Nepal →

Frequently asked questions

What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, male in Nepal?
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, male in Nepal was 73.2% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, male recorded in Nepal?
The highest recorded value was 73.2% in 2019.
What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, male recorded in Nepal?
The lowest recorded value was 29.6% in 1981.
How does Nepal rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, male?
Nepal ranks 43rd out of 53 countries with data for 2019.
Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, male rising or falling in Nepal?
Over the last ten years it is up 8.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Nepal data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, male in Nepal. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/adult-literacy-rate-population-15-years-rural-male-percent-2/nepal/

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About this data

Indicator
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, rural, male (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
53 places, 506 data points, 1976–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release