Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, female in Pakistan
Pakistan: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, female was 65.6% in 2019. ▲ Rising
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, female in Pakistan, 1981–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, female in Pakistan is 65.6%, measured in 2019.
The figure is up 1.6% on the previous year and up 4.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, female in Pakistan peaked at 68.1% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 35.9%, in 1981.
Pakistan ranks 51st of 59 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, female in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 35.9% | — |
| 1998 | 52.0% | +44.8% |
| 2005 | 59.0% | +13.6% |
| 2006 | 61.4% | +4.1% |
| 2007 | 61.0% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 60.3% | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 62.8% | +4.1% |
| 2010 | 62.9% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 64.9% | +3.1% |
| 2012 | 64.5% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 63.2% | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 66.4% | +4.9% |
| 2017 | 68.1% | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 64.5% | -5.3% |
| 2019 | 65.6% | +1.6% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 65.6% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 76.7%, 85% of the median. (17 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 65.6% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 89.3%, 73% of the median. (12 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, female in Pakistan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | +44.8% | 35.9% | 52.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 35.9% | 35.9% | 35.9% | 1 |
| 1990s | 52.0% | 52.0% | 52.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 60.9% | 59.0% | 62.8% | 5 |
| 2010s | 65.0% | 62.9% | 68.1% | 8 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
More education data for Pakistan
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.04 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 440,233 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 5.05 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 4.90 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 19.70 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 25.38 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.1 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.101 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, female in Pakistan?
- Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, female in Pakistan was 65.6% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, female recorded in Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 68.1% in 2017.
- What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, female recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.9% in 1981.
- How does Pakistan rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, female?
- Pakistan ranks 51st out of 59 countries with data for 2019.
- Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, female rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Pakistan data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, urban, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release