Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes was 95.4% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Sri Lanka, 1981–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Sri Lanka is 95.4%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 14 years on record.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Sri Lanka peaked at 95.4% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 92.9%, in 2001.
That places Sri Lanka 30th out of 57 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 93.5% | — |
| 2001 | 92.9% | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 93.3% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 93.1% | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 93.5% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 94.7% | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 94.2% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 93.9% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 95.4% | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 95.1% | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 95.3% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 95.1% | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 94.9% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 95.4% | +0.5% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 95.4% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 96.5%, 99% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 93.5% | 93.5% | 93.5% | 1 |
| 2000s | 93.1% | 92.9% | 93.3% | 3 |
| 2010s | 94.3% | 93.5% | 95.4% | 5 |
| 2020s | 95.2% | 94.9% | 95.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More education data for Sri Lanka
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 155,543 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 224,799 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 214,300 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.54 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.58 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.89 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0715 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Sri Lanka?
- Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes in Sri Lanka was 95.4% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 95.4% in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 92.9% in 2001.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes?
- Sri Lanka ranks 30th out of 57 countries with data for 2024.
- Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 14 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release