Literacy rate, adult male in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Literacy rate, adult male was 85.4% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, adult male in Democratic Republic of Congo, 2001–2023
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of males ages 15 and above.
Analysis
In 2023, literacy rate, adult male in Democratic Republic of Congo stood at 85.4%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, adult male in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 88.5% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 80.9%, in 2001.
Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 58th of 88 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Literacy rate, adult male in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | % of males ages 15 and above | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 80.9% | — |
| 2012 | 87.9% | +8.6% |
| 2016 | 88.5% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 87.5% | -1.1% |
| 2023 | 85.4% | -2.5% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 85.4% is above the median for low income countries, which is 71.0%, 1.2× the median. (13 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 85.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 79.2%, 1.1× the median. (28 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 80.9% | 80.9% | 80.9% | 1 |
| 2010s | 88.0% | 87.5% | 88.5% | 3 |
| 2020s | 85.4% | 85.4% | 85.4% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
More education data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 621,578 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1.99 million (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 410,532 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 427,300 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.93 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 21.15 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 7.35 % change on previous year (2021)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1999 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, adult male in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Literacy rate, adult male in Democratic Republic of Congo was 85.4% in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest literacy rate, adult male recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 88.5% in 2016.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, adult male recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 80.9% in 2001.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for literacy rate, adult male?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 58th out of 88 countries with data for 2023.
- Is literacy rate, adult male rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo 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.