Cross country literacy rates in Malaysia
Malaysia: Cross country literacy rates was 95.77 in 2022. ▲ Rising
Cross country literacy rates in Malaysia, 1950–2022
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for cross country literacy rates in Malaysia is 95.77, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 10 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and up 2.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cross country literacy rates in Malaysia peaked at 95.77 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 37.5, in 1950.
Malaysia ranks 51st of 128 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 10 years of available data.
Cross country literacy rates in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 37.5 | — |
| 1980 | 69.52 | +85.4% |
| 1991 | 82.92 | +19.3% |
| 2000 | 88.69 | +7.0% |
| 2010 | 93.12 | +5.0% |
| 2016 | 94.88 | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 95.08 | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 94.85 | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 94.97 | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 95.77 | +0.8% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 95.77 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 95.44, 1.0× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 95.77 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 96.05, 100% of the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 37.5 | 37.5 | 37.5 | 1 |
| 1980s | 69.52 | 69.52 | 69.52 | 1 |
| 1990s | 82.92 | 82.92 | 82.92 | 1 |
| 2000s | 88.69 | 88.69 | 88.69 | 1 |
| 2010s | 94.58 | 93.12 | 95.08 | 5 |
| 2020s | 95.77 | 95.77 | 95.77 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More education data for Malaysia
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 88.9 (2024)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 88.03 (2024)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 217,105 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 475,967 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 460,041 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.64 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.06 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.2 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cross country literacy rates in Malaysia?
- Cross country literacy rates in Malaysia was 95.77 in 2022, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest cross country literacy rates recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 95.77 in 2022.
- What is the lowest cross country literacy rates recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.5 in 1950.
- How does Malaysia rank for cross country literacy rates?
- Malaysia ranks 51st out of 128 countries with data for 2022.
- Is cross country literacy rates rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Cross country literacy rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 10 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).