Literacy rate in Eswatini
Eswatini: Literacy rate was 90.8% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
90.8%
World rank
73rd
of 128 countries
All-time high
90.8%
in 2022
All-time low
17.5%
in 1950
Years of data
5
1950–2022
Literacy rate in Eswatini, 1950–2022
Source: UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2022, literacy rate in Eswatini stood at 90.8%. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.
Over the whole period, literacy rate in Eswatini peaked at 90.8% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 17.5%, in 1950.
That places Eswatini 73rd out of 128 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
Literacy rate in Eswatini, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 17.5% | — |
| 1976 | 55.3% | +216.2% |
| 1986 | 67.2% | +21.5% |
| 2000 | 81.7% | +21.4% |
| 2022 | 90.8% | +11.1% |
Eswatini compared with similar countries
- Eswatini's 90.8% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 78.2%, 1.2× the median. (39 countries reporting)
- Eswatini's 90.8% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 70.9%, 1.3× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 17.5% | 17.5% | 17.5% | 1 |
| 1970s | 55.3% | 55.3% | 55.3% | 1 |
| 1980s | 67.2% | 67.2% | 67.2% | 1 |
| 2000s | 81.7% | 81.7% | 81.7% | 1 |
| 2020s | 90.8% | 90.8% | 90.8% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Eswatini
More education data for Eswatini
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7,225 (2022)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 15,165 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 12,768 (2015)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 11,269 (2015)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 108,288 (2016)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 222,351 (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.236 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1807 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate in Eswatini?
- Literacy rate in Eswatini was 90.8% in 2022, according to UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest literacy rate recorded in Eswatini?
- The highest recorded value was 90.8% in 2022.
- What is the lowest literacy rate recorded in Eswatini?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.5% in 1950.
- How does Eswatini rank for literacy rate?
- Eswatini ranks 73rd out of 128 countries with data for 2022.
- Where does this Eswatini 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 — 5 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.