Literacy rate in Argentina
Argentina: Literacy rate was 99.1% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
99.1%
World rank
12th
of 128 countries
All-time high
99.1%
in 2020
All-time low
64.9%
in 1914
Years of data
7
1914–2020
Literacy rate in Argentina, 1914–2020
Source: UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for literacy rate in Argentina is 99.1%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 7 years on record.
Over the whole period, literacy rate in Argentina peaked at 99.1% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 64.9%, in 1914.
That places Argentina 12th out of 128 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.
Literacy rate in Argentina, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1914 | 64.9% | — |
| 1947 | 86.4% | +33.1% |
| 1950 | 87.5% | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 93.9% | +7.3% |
| 1991 | 96.0% | +2.3% |
| 2001 | 97.2% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 99.1% | +2.0% |
Argentina compared with similar countries
- Argentina's 99.1% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 95.4%, 1.0× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Argentina's 99.1% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 94.4%, 1.1× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 64.9% | 64.9% | 64.9% | 1 |
| 1940s | 86.4% | 86.4% | 86.4% | 1 |
| 1950s | 87.5% | 87.5% | 87.5% | 1 |
| 1980s | 93.9% | 93.9% | 93.9% | 1 |
| 1990s | 96.0% | 96.0% | 96.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 97.2% | 97.2% | 97.2% | 1 |
| 2020s | 99.1% | 99.1% | 99.1% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Argentina
More education data for Argentina
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 323,957 (2008)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 91,719 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 791,112 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 773,753 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.56 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.58 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.09 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1006 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate in Argentina?
- Literacy rate in Argentina was 99.1% in 2020, according to UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest literacy rate recorded in Argentina?
- The highest recorded value was 99.1% in 2020.
- What is the lowest literacy rate recorded in Argentina?
- The lowest recorded value was 64.9% in 1914.
- How does Argentina rank for literacy rate?
- Argentina ranks 12th out of 128 countries with data for 2020.
- Where does this Argentina data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Literacy rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 7 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of adults who can read and write a simple statement about their everyday life.