Literacy rate, adult male in Tanzania
Tanzania: Literacy rate, adult male was 84.2% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, adult male in Tanzania, 1988–2022
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of males ages 15 and above.
Analysis
In 2022, literacy rate, adult male in Tanzania stood at 84.2%.
The figure is down 2.5% on the previous year and up 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, adult male in Tanzania peaked at 86.4% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 71.4%, in 1988.
That places Tanzania 61st out of 88 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
Literacy rate, adult male in Tanzania, year by year
| Year | % of males ages 15 and above | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 71.4% | — |
| 2002 | 77.5% | +8.6% |
| 2012 | 83.4% | +7.6% |
| 2014 | 86.3% | +3.5% |
| 2015 | 83.2% | -3.6% |
| 2020 | 86.4% | +3.8% |
| 2022 | 84.2% | -2.5% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 84.2% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 83.7%, 1.0× the median. (30 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 84.2% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 71.4% | 71.4% | 71.4% | 1 |
| 2000s | 77.5% | 77.5% | 77.5% | 1 |
| 2010s | 84.3% | 83.2% | 86.3% | 3 |
| 2020s | 85.3% | 84.2% | 86.4% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
More education data for Tanzania
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 106,006 (2020)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 331,605 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 851,911 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 824,648 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.83 million (2021)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 11.39 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.3307 % 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 0.1661 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, adult male in Tanzania?
- Literacy rate, adult male in Tanzania was 84.2% in 2022, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest literacy rate, adult male recorded in Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 86.4% in 2020.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, adult male recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 71.4% in 1988.
- How does Tanzania rank for literacy rate, adult male?
- Tanzania ranks 61st out of 88 countries with data for 2022.
- Is literacy rate, adult male rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Tanzania 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.