Literacy rate, adult total in Malaysia
Malaysia: Literacy rate, adult total was 95.8% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, adult total in Malaysia, 1980–2022
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of people ages 15 and above.
Analysis
Malaysia recorded 95.8% for literacy rate, adult total in 2022. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and up 2.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, adult total in Malaysia peaked at 95.8% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 69.5%, in 1980.
That places Malaysia 33rd out of 89 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
Literacy rate, adult total in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % of people ages 15 and above | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 69.5% | — |
| 1991 | 82.9% | +19.3% |
| 2000 | 88.7% | +7.0% |
| 2010 | 93.1% | +5.0% |
| 2016 | 94.9% | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 95.1% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 94.8% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 95.0% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 95.8% | +0.8% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 95.8% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 95.5%, 1.0× the median. (33 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 95.8% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 96.1%, 100% of the median. (16 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 69.5% | 69.5% | 69.5% | 1 |
| 1990s | 82.9% | 82.9% | 82.9% | 1 |
| 2000s | 88.7% | 88.7% | 88.7% | 1 |
| 2010s | 94.6% | 93.1% | 95.1% | 5 |
| 2020s | 95.8% | 95.8% | 95.8% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More education data for Malaysia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 217,105 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 475,967 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 460,041 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.64 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.06 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.2 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0859 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, adult total in Malaysia?
- Literacy rate, adult total in Malaysia was 95.8% in 2022, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest literacy rate, adult total recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 95.8% in 2022.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, adult total recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 69.5% in 1980.
- How does Malaysia rank for literacy rate, adult total?
- Malaysia ranks 33rd out of 89 countries with data for 2022.
- Is literacy rate, adult total rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malaysia 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.