Literacy rate, adult male in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Literacy rate, adult male was 52.1% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, adult male in Afghanistan, 1979–2021
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of males ages 15 and above.
Analysis
In 2021, literacy rate, adult male in Afghanistan stood at 52.1%. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.3% on the previous year and up 14.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, adult male in Afghanistan peaked at 52.1% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 30.3%, in 1979.
That places Afghanistan 84th out of 88 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Literacy rate, adult male in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % of males ages 15 and above | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 30.3% | — |
| 2011 | 45.4% | +49.9% |
| 2015 | 50.2% | +10.5% |
| 2020 | 50.4% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 52.1% | +3.3% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 52.1% is below the median for low income countries, which is 71.0%, 73% of the median. (13 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 52.1% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 96.6%, 54% of the median. (15 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 30.3% | 30.3% | 30.3% | 1 |
| 2010s | 47.8% | 45.4% | 50.2% | 2 |
| 2020s | 51.2% | 50.4% | 52.1% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More education data for Afghanistan
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 88,020 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 343,942 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 13,837 (2003)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 10,383 (2003)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.43 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.51 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.56 % change on previous year (2019)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1811 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, adult male in Afghanistan?
- Literacy rate, adult male in Afghanistan was 52.1% in 2021, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest literacy rate, adult male recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 52.1% in 2021.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, adult male recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 30.3% in 1979.
- How does Afghanistan rank for literacy rate, adult male?
- Afghanistan ranks 84th out of 88 countries with data for 2021.
- Is literacy rate, adult male rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Literacy rate, adult male (% of males ages 15 and above). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.