Literacy rate, adult male in China
China: Literacy rate, adult male was 98.4% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, adult male in China, 1982–2020
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of males ages 15 and above.
Analysis
The most recent figure for literacy rate, adult male in China is 98.4%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.
The figure is up 0.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, adult male in China peaked at 98.4% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 79.2%, in 1982.
China ranks 20th of 88 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Literacy rate, adult male in China, year by year
| Year | % of males ages 15 and above | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 79.2% | — |
| 1990 | 87.0% | +9.9% |
| 2000 | 95.1% | +9.3% |
| 2010 | 97.5% | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 98.4% | +0.9% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 98.4% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 96.8%, 1.0× the median. (33 countries reporting)
- China's 98.4% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 97.5%, 1.0× the median. (15 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 79.2% | 79.2% | 79.2% | 1 |
| 1990s | 87.0% | 87.0% | 87.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 95.1% | 95.1% | 95.1% | 1 |
| 2010s | 97.5% | 97.5% | 97.5% | 1 |
| 2020s | 98.4% | 98.4% | 98.4% | 1 |
Countries ranked near China
More education data for China
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.41 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 7,020 (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 21.58 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 19.36 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 97.98 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 108.57 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9587 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0771 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, adult male in China?
- Literacy rate, adult male in China was 98.4% in 2020, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest literacy rate, adult male recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 98.4% in 2020.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, adult male recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 79.2% in 1982.
- How does China rank for literacy rate, adult male?
- China ranks 20th out of 88 countries with data for 2020.
- Is literacy rate, adult male rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China 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.