Literacy rate, adult male in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Literacy rate, adult male was 71.0% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, adult male in Ethiopia, 1994–2022
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of males ages 15 and above.
Analysis
Ethiopia recorded 71.0% for literacy rate, adult male in 2022. That is the highest value across all 8 years on record.
That represents a change of up 7.7% on the previous year and up 17.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, adult male in Ethiopia peaked at 71.0% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 36.0%, in 1994.
Ethiopia ranks 77th of 88 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Literacy rate, adult male in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | % of males ages 15 and above | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 36.0% | — |
| 2004 | 50.0% | +39.0% |
| 2007 | 49.1% | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 60.5% | +23.1% |
| 2016 | 62.6% | +3.5% |
| 2019 | 66.4% | +6.2% |
| 2021 | 66.0% | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 71.0% | +7.7% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 71.0% is above the median for low income countries, which is 71.0%, 1.0× the median. (13 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 71.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 79.2%, 90% of the median. (28 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 36.0% | 36.0% | 36.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 49.6% | 49.1% | 50.0% | 2 |
| 2010s | 63.2% | 60.5% | 66.4% | 3 |
| 2020s | 68.5% | 66.0% | 71.0% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
- 74 Morocco 75.4% compare
- 75 Mozambique 74.0% compare
- 76 East Timor 73.1% compare
- 78 Pakistan 69.1% compare
- 79 Cote d'Ivoire 68.0% compare
- 80 Benin 62.6% compare
More education data for Ethiopia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 272,545 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 900,151 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.32 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.16 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.03 million (2015)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 15.93 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.45 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1206 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, adult male in Ethiopia?
- Literacy rate, adult male in Ethiopia was 71.0% in 2022, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest literacy rate, adult male recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 71.0% in 2022.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, adult male recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.0% in 1994.
- How does Ethiopia rank for literacy rate, adult male?
- Ethiopia ranks 77th out of 88 countries with data for 2022.
- Is literacy rate, adult male rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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.