Literacy rate in Nepal
Nepal: Literacy rate was 68.7% in 2019. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate in Nepal, 1950–2019
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 Nepal is 68.7%, measured in 2019. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.
The figure is up 2.8% on the previous year and up 23.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate in Nepal peaked at 68.7% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 3.0%, in 1950.
That places Nepal 107th out of 128 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Literacy rate in Nepal, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 3.0% | — |
| 1981 | 20.6% | +585.7% |
| 1991 | 33.0% | +60.3% |
| 2001 | 48.6% | +47.4% |
| 2008 | 55.6% | +14.3% |
| 2011 | 59.6% | +7.3% |
| 2016 | 65.5% | +9.8% |
| 2017 | 66.9% | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 68.7% | +2.8% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 68.7% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 78.2%, 88% of the median. (39 countries reporting)
- Nepal's 68.7% is below the median for South Asia, which is 78.6%, 87% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.0% | 1 |
| 1980s | 20.6% | 20.6% | 20.6% | 1 |
| 1990s | 33.0% | 33.0% | 33.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 52.1% | 48.6% | 55.6% | 2 |
| 2010s | 65.2% | 59.6% | 68.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
More education data for Nepal
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 124,257 (2025)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 263,796 (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 752,326 (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 609,324 (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.67 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.57 million (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.31 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1204 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate in Nepal?
- Literacy rate in Nepal was 68.7% in 2019, according to UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest literacy rate recorded in Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 68.7% in 2019.
- What is the lowest literacy rate recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.0% in 1950.
- How does Nepal rank for literacy rate?
- Nepal ranks 107th out of 128 countries with data for 2019.
- Is literacy rate rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nepal 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 — 9 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.