Literacy rate in Bolivia
Bolivia: Literacy rate was 96.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate in Bolivia, 1950–2024
Source: UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, literacy rate in Bolivia stood at 96.7%. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 4.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate in Bolivia peaked at 96.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 32.5%, in 1950.
That places Bolivia 40th out of 128 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Literacy rate in Bolivia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 32.5% | — |
| 1976 | 63.2% | +94.5% |
| 1992 | 80.0% | +26.5% |
| 2001 | 86.7% | +8.4% |
| 2007 | 90.3% | +4.1% |
| 2008 | 90.7% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 91.2% | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 92.2% | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 94.5% | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 92.5% | -2.1% |
| 2020 | 93.8% | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 95.5% | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 96.7% | +1.2% |
Bolivia compared with similar countries
- Bolivia's 96.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 78.2%, 1.2× the median. (39 countries reporting)
- Bolivia's 96.7% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 94.4%, 1.0× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Literacy rate in Bolivia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | +94.5% | 32.5% | 63.2% |
| 1992 | +26.5% | 63.2% | 80.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 32.5% | 32.5% | 32.5% | 1 |
| 1970s | 63.2% | 63.2% | 63.2% | 1 |
| 1990s | 80.0% | 80.0% | 80.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 89.7% | 86.7% | 91.2% | 4 |
| 2010s | 93.0% | 92.2% | 94.5% | 3 |
| 2020s | 95.4% | 93.8% | 96.7% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Bolivia
More education data for Bolivia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 72,283 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 39,642 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 169,575 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 164,013 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.30 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.38 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.8594 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.111 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate in Bolivia?
- Literacy rate in Bolivia was 96.7% in 2024, according to UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest literacy rate recorded in Bolivia?
- The highest recorded value was 96.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest literacy rate recorded in Bolivia?
- The lowest recorded value was 32.5% in 1950.
- How does Bolivia rank for literacy rate?
- Bolivia ranks 40th out of 128 countries with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rate rising or falling in Bolivia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bolivia 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.
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About this data
Share of adults who can read and write a simple statement about their everyday life.