Literacy rate, adult male in Namibia
Namibia: Literacy rate, adult male was 87.9% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, adult male in Namibia, 1991–2023
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 Namibia stood at 87.9%.
That represents a change of down 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, adult male in Namibia peaked at 89.2% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 77.8%, in 1991.
That places Namibia 54th out of 88 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
Literacy rate, adult male in Namibia, year by year
| Year | % of males ages 15 and above | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 77.8% | — |
| 2001 | 86.6% | +11.2% |
| 2011 | 88.6% | +2.4% |
| 2016 | 89.2% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 88.8% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 87.9% | -1.0% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 87.9% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 83.7%, 1.1× the median. (30 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 87.9% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 77.8% | 77.8% | 77.8% | 1 |
| 2000s | 86.6% | 86.6% | 86.6% | 1 |
| 2010s | 88.9% | 88.6% | 89.2% | 3 |
| 2020s | 87.9% | 87.9% | 87.9% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
More education data for Namibia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 10,653 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 90,003 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 26,964 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 27,746 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 236,050 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 590,029 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 4.48 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1947 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, adult male in Namibia?
- Literacy rate, adult male in Namibia was 87.9% in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest literacy rate, adult male recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 89.2% in 2016.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, adult male recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 77.8% in 1991.
- How does Namibia rank for literacy rate, adult male?
- Namibia ranks 54th out of 88 countries with data for 2023.
- Is literacy rate, adult male rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Namibia 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.