Literacy rate in Oman
Oman: Literacy rate was 97.3% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate in Oman, 1950–2022
Source: UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Oman recorded 97.3% for literacy rate in 2022. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 12.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate in Oman peaked at 97.3% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 3.0%, in 1950.
That places Oman 36th out of 128 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
Literacy rate in Oman, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 3.0% | — |
| 2003 | 66.1% | +2103.3% |
| 2008 | 86.6% | +31.0% |
| 2010 | 86.9% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 93.0% | +7.0% |
| 2017 | 95.6% | +2.7% |
| 2018 | 95.7% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 96.9% | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 97.3% | +0.5% |
Oman compared with similar countries
- Oman's 97.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 97.8%, 100% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
- Oman's 97.3% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 93.3%, 1.0× the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 76.4% | 66.1% | 86.6% | 2 |
| 2010s | 92.8% | 86.9% | 95.7% | 4 |
| 2020s | 97.1% | 96.9% | 97.3% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Oman
More education data for Oman
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 43,982 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 49,260 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 50,536 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 541,921 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 358,346 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.75 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0678 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate in Oman?
- Literacy rate in Oman was 97.3% 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 Oman?
- The highest recorded value was 97.3% in 2022.
- What is the lowest literacy rate recorded in Oman?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.0% in 1950.
- How does Oman rank for literacy rate?
- Oman ranks 36th out of 128 countries with data for 2022.
- Is literacy rate rising or falling in Oman?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Oman 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.