Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Burundi
Burundi: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 65.7% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Burundi, 1979–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Burundi is 65.7%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 8 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 8.0% on the previous year and up 60.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Burundi peaked at 65.7% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 19.4%, in 1979.
Burundi ranks 71st of 87 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Burundi, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 19.4% | — |
| 1990 | 32.2% | +66.2% |
| 2000 | 53.3% | +65.6% |
| 2008 | 41.0% | -23.1% |
| 2014 | 54.5% | +33.1% |
| 2016 | 59.6% | +9.3% |
| 2017 | 60.8% | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 65.7% | +8.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 19.4% | 19.4% | 19.4% | 1 |
| 1990s | 32.2% | 32.2% | 32.2% | 1 |
| 2000s | 47.1% | 41.0% | 53.3% | 2 |
| 2010s | 58.3% | 54.5% | 60.8% | 3 |
| 2020s | 65.7% | 65.7% | 65.7% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Burundi
More education data for Burundi
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 27,748 (2025)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 646,726 (2020)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 115,798 (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 117,464 (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 590,027 (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.52 million (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 4.06 % change on previous year (2020)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0007 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1748 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Burundi?
- Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Burundi was 65.7% in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Burundi?
- The highest recorded value was 65.7% in 2020.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Burundi?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.4% in 1979.
- How does Burundi rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
- Burundi ranks 71st out of 87 countries with data for 2020.
- Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in Burundi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 60.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Burundi data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 8 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release