Literacy rate in Spain
Spain: Literacy rate was 99.7% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate in Spain, 1475–2021
Source: UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2021, literacy rate in Spain stood at 99.7%. That is the highest value across all 27 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.1% on the previous year and up 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate in Spain peaked at 99.7% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 3.0%, in 1475.
That places Spain 5th out of 128 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.
Literacy rate in Spain, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1475 | 3.0% | — |
| 1550 | 4.0% | +33.3% |
| 1650 | 5.0% | +25.0% |
| 1750 | 8.0% | +60.0% |
| 1900 | 41.3% | +416.2% |
| 1910 | 47.8% | +15.7% |
| 1920 | 56.0% | +17.2% |
| 1940 | 76.8% | +37.1% |
| 1950 | 82.5% | +7.4% |
| 1981 | 92.8% | +12.5% |
| 1991 | 96.5% | +4.0% |
| 2004 | 97.2% | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 97.8% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 97.8% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 97.9% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 97.6% | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 97.7% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 97.8% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 97.8% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 97.9% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 98.1% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 98.1% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 98.1% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 98.2% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 98.4% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 98.6% | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 99.7% | +1.1% |
Spain compared with similar countries
- Spain's 99.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 97.8%, 1.0× the median. (33 countries reporting)
- Spain's 99.7% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 98.5%, 1.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Literacy rate in Spain changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | +416.2% | 8.0% | 41.3% |
| 1750 | +60.0% | 5.0% | 8.0% |
| 1940 | +37.1% | 56.0% | 76.8% |
| 1550 | +33.3% | 3.0% | 4.0% |
| 1650 | +25.0% | 4.0% | 5.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1470s | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.0% | 1 |
| 1550s | 4.0% | 4.0% | 4.0% | 1 |
| 1650s | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 1 |
| 1750s | 8.0% | 8.0% | 8.0% | 1 |
| 1900s | 41.3% | 41.3% | 41.3% | 1 |
| 1910s | 47.8% | 47.8% | 47.8% | 1 |
| 1920s | 56.0% | 56.0% | 56.0% | 1 |
| 1940s | 76.8% | 76.8% | 76.8% | 1 |
| 1950s | 82.5% | 82.5% | 82.5% | 1 |
| 1980s | 92.8% | 92.8% | 92.8% | 1 |
| 1990s | 96.5% | 96.5% | 96.5% | 1 |
| 2000s | 97.7% | 97.2% | 97.9% | 6 |
| 2010s | 98.1% | 97.8% | 98.4% | 8 |
| 2020s | 99.1% | 98.6% | 99.7% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Spain
More education data for Spain
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 344,203 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 37,817 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 570,954 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 538,977 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.71 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.83 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.08 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.058 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate in Spain?
- Literacy rate in Spain was 99.7% in 2021, according to UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest literacy rate recorded in Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 99.7% in 2021.
- What is the lowest literacy rate recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.0% in 1475.
- How does Spain rank for literacy rate?
- Spain ranks 5th out of 128 countries with data for 2021.
- Is literacy rate rising or falling in Spain?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Spain 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.