Literacy rate, adult total in Europe & Central Asia
Europe & Central Asia: Literacy rate, adult total was 98.8% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Literacy rate, adult total in Europe & Central Asia, 1994–2023
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of people ages 15 and above.
Analysis
In 2023, literacy rate, adult total in Europe & Central Asia stood at 98.8%. That is the highest value across all 29 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, adult total in Europe & Central Asia peaked at 98.8% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 95.8%, in 1994.
Europe & Central Asia ranks 5th of 39 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
Literacy rate, adult total in Europe & Central Asia, year by year
| Year | % of people ages 15 and above | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 95.8% | — |
| 1995 | 96.0% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 96.1% | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 96.3% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 96.4% | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 96.5% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 96.6% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 96.9% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 97.0% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 97.1% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 97.2% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 97.2% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 97.3% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 97.5% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 97.7% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 97.9% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 98.0% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 98.1% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 98.2% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 98.2% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 98.3% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 98.3% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 98.4% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 98.5% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 98.6% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 98.6% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 98.7% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 98.8% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 98.8% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 96.2% | 95.8% | 96.5% | 6 |
| 2000s | 97.2% | 96.6% | 97.7% | 9 |
| 2010s | 98.2% | 97.9% | 98.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 98.7% | 98.6% | 98.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia
More education data for Europe & Central Asia
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 52.35 million (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0564 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 83.79 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 17.2% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 64.3% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.0527 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 3.52 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, adult total in Europe & Central Asia?
- Literacy rate, adult total in Europe & Central Asia was 98.8% in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest literacy rate, adult total recorded in Europe & Central Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 98.8% in 2023.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, adult total recorded in Europe & Central Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 95.8% in 1994.
- How does Europe & Central Asia rank for literacy rate, adult total?
- Europe & Central Asia ranks 5th out of 39 groups with data for 2023.
- Is literacy rate, adult total rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Europe & Central Asia data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Literacy rate, adult total (% of people 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.