Literacy rate, adult male in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Literacy rate, adult male was 93.5% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Literacy rate, adult male in Sri Lanka, 1981–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of males ages 15 and above.
Analysis
In 2024, literacy rate, adult male in Sri Lanka stood at 93.5%. That is the highest value across all 16 years on record.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 0.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, adult male in Sri Lanka peaked at 93.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 91.3%, in 1981.
Sri Lanka ranks 44th of 88 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Literacy rate, adult male in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % of males ages 15 and above | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 91.3% | — |
| 2001 | 92.3% | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 92.7% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 92.2% | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 92.6% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 93.5% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 93.5% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 93.5% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 93.0% | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 92.8% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 93.0% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 93.3% | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 93.3% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 93.3% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 93.5% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 93.5% | +0.1% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 93.5% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 96.8%, 97% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 93.5% is above the median for South Asia, which is 85.7%, 1.1× the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 91.3% | 91.3% | 91.3% | 1 |
| 2000s | 92.4% | 92.2% | 92.7% | 3 |
| 2010s | 93.1% | 92.6% | 93.5% | 7 |
| 2020s | 93.4% | 93.3% | 93.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More education data for Sri Lanka
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 155,543 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 224,799 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 214,300 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.54 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.58 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.89 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0715 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, adult male in Sri Lanka?
- Literacy rate, adult male in Sri Lanka was 93.5% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest literacy rate, adult male recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 93.5% in 2024.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, adult male recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 91.3% in 1981.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for literacy rate, adult male?
- Sri Lanka ranks 44th out of 88 countries with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rate, adult male rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.