Literacy rate in Guinea
Guinea: Literacy rate was 39.6% in 2018. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate in Guinea, 1996–2018
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 Guinea is 39.6%, measured in 2018. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.
The figure is up 56.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate in Guinea peaked at 39.6% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 20.6%, in 1996.
That places Guinea 124th out of 128 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Literacy rate in Guinea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 20.6% | — |
| 2003 | 29.7% | +44.5% |
| 2010 | 25.3% | -14.8% |
| 2014 | 32.0% | +26.4% |
| 2018 | 39.6% | +23.8% |
Guinea compared with similar countries
- Guinea's 39.6% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 78.2%, 51% of the median. (39 countries reporting)
- Guinea's 39.6% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 70.9%, 56% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 20.6% | 20.6% | 20.6% | 1 |
| 2000s | 29.7% | 29.7% | 29.7% | 1 |
| 2010s | 32.3% | 25.3% | 39.6% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Guinea
- 121 Sierra Leone 43.6% compare
- 122 Central African Republic 42.4% compare
- 123 Burkina Faso 41.6% compare
- 125 Afghanistan 37.3% compare
- 126 Mali 35.6% compare
- 127 Niger 35.6% compare
More education data for Guinea
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 19,322 (2011)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 256,207 (2020)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 103,162 (2020)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 99,093 (2020)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 715,702 (2014)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.11 million (2020)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.81 % change on previous year (2014)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2020)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1576 units per person (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate in Guinea?
- Literacy rate in Guinea was 39.6% in 2018, according to UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest literacy rate recorded in Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 39.6% in 2018.
- What is the lowest literacy rate recorded in Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.6% in 1996.
- How does Guinea rank for literacy rate?
- Guinea ranks 124th out of 128 countries with data for 2018.
- Is literacy rate rising or falling in Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 56.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Guinea 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.