Literacy rate, adult male in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)
South Asia (IDA & IBRD): Literacy rate, adult male was 84.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, adult male in South Asia (IDA & IBRD), 1975–2024
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 South Asia (IDA & IBRD) is 84.6%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 7.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, adult male in South Asia (IDA & IBRD) peaked at 84.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 51.7%, in 1975.
South Asia (IDA & IBRD) ranks 24th of 39 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Literacy rate, adult male in South Asia (IDA & IBRD), year by year
| Year | % of males ages 15 and above | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 51.7% | — |
| 1976 | 51.7% | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 52.3% | +1.2% |
| 1978 | 52.8% | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 53.4% | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 53.9% | +1.0% |
| 1981 | 54.4% | +0.9% |
| 1982 | 55.0% | +1.0% |
| 1983 | 55.5% | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 56.0% | +1.0% |
| 1985 | 56.5% | +0.9% |
| 1986 | 57.1% | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 57.6% | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 59.1% | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 59.8% | +1.1% |
| 1990 | 60.4% | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 61.0% | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 61.6% | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 62.2% | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 62.8% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 63.5% | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 64.1% | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 64.7% | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 70.3% | +8.7% |
| 1999 | 70.9% | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 71.4% | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 71.9% | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 72.5% | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 73.1% | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 73.7% | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 74.1% | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 73.8% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 74.4% | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 75.0% | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 75.5% | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 77.1% | +2.1% |
| 2011 | 77.7% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 77.3% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 78.4% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 78.9% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 80.1% | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 81.2% | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 81.7% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 82.1% | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 81.8% | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 82.3% | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 83.0% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 83.6% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 84.1% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 84.6% | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 52.4% | 51.7% | 53.4% | 5 |
| 1980s | 56.5% | 53.9% | 59.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 64.2% | 60.4% | 70.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 73.5% | 71.4% | 75.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 79.6% | 77.1% | 82.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 83.5% | 82.3% | 84.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Asia (IDA & IBRD)
More education data for South Asia (IDA & IBRD)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 152.88 million (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 5.84 million (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 160.82 million (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 24.6% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 68.1% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 4.5 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0959 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, adult male in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- Literacy rate, adult male in South Asia (IDA & IBRD) was 84.6% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest literacy rate, adult male recorded in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- The highest recorded value was 84.6% in 2024.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, adult male recorded in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- The lowest recorded value was 51.7% in 1975.
- How does South Asia (IDA & IBRD) rank for literacy rate, adult male?
- South Asia (IDA & IBRD) ranks 24th out of 39 groups with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rate, adult male rising or falling in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Asia (IDA & IBRD) 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.