Literacy rate, adult male in Iraq

Iraq: Literacy rate, adult male was 90.3% in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
90.3%
World rank
52nd
of 88 countries
All-time high
91.2%
in 2017
All-time low
84.1%
in 2000
Years of data
6
2000–2021

Literacy rate, adult male in Iraq, 2000–2021

0204060801002000201020212000: 84.1 % of males ages 15 and above2012: 85.9 % of males ages 15 and above2014: 90 % of males ages 15 and above2016: 90 % of males ages 15 and above2017: 91.2 % of males ages 15 and above2021: 90.3 % of males ages 15 and above

Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of males ages 15 and above.

Analysis

Iraq recorded 90.3% for literacy rate, adult male in 2021.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, adult male in Iraq peaked at 91.2% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 84.1%, in 2000.

Iraq ranks 52nd of 88 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Literacy rate, adult male in Iraq, year by year

Annual values for Literacy rate, adult male (% of males ages 15 and above) in Iraq, 2000 to 2021.
Year % of males ages 15 and above Change
2000 84.1%
2012 85.9% +2.2%
2014 90.0% +4.8%
2016 90.0% +0.0%
2017 91.2% +1.3%
2021 90.3% -1.0%

Iraq compared with similar countries

  • Iraq's 90.3% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 96.8%, 93% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
  • Iraq's 90.3% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 96.6%, 93% of the median. (15 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 84.1% 84.1% 84.1% 1
2010s 89.3% 85.9% 91.2% 4
2020s 90.3% 90.3% 90.3% 1

Countries ranked near Iraq

  1. 49 El Salvador 91.6% compare
  2. 50 South Africa 91.5% compare
  3. 51 Thailand 90.7% compare
  4. 53 Cambodia 90.3% compare
  5. 54 Namibia 87.9% compare
  6. 55 Honduras 87.6% compare

See the full ranking of 127 places →

More education data for Iraq

All data for Iraq →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate, adult male in Iraq?
Literacy rate, adult male in Iraq was 90.3% in 2021, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest literacy rate, adult male recorded in Iraq?
The highest recorded value was 91.2% in 2017.
What is the lowest literacy rate, adult male recorded in Iraq?
The lowest recorded value was 84.1% in 2000.
How does Iraq rank for literacy rate, adult male?
Iraq ranks 52nd out of 88 countries with data for 2021.
Is literacy rate, adult male rising or falling in Iraq?
Over the last ten years it is up 5.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Iraq 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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Literacy rate, adult male in Iraq. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 18 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-adult-male-percent-of-males-ages-15-and-above/iraq/

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About this data

Indicator
Literacy rate, adult male (% of males ages 15 and above)
Unit
% of males ages 15 and above
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
127 places, 2,578 data points, 1974–2024
Last refreshed

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.