Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 64.5% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Democratic Republic of Congo, 2001–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
Democratic Republic of Congo recorded 64.5% for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.0% on the previous year and down 11.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 75.1% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 63.2%, in 2020.
That places Democratic Republic of Congo 73rd out of 87 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 67.2% | — |
| 2012 | 72.7% | +8.2% |
| 2016 | 75.1% | +3.2% |
| 2018 | 69.8% | -7.0% |
| 2020 | 63.2% | -9.5% |
| 2023 | 64.5% | +2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 67.2% | 67.2% | 67.2% | 1 |
| 2010s | 72.6% | 69.8% | 75.1% | 3 |
| 2020s | 63.8% | 63.2% | 64.5% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
More education data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 21.15 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 7.35 % change on previous year (2021)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1999 units per person (2023)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 21.15 million (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 7.35 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), per capita 0.1999 units per person (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 10.28 million (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Democratic Republic of Congo was 64.5% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 75.1% in 2016.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 63.2% in 2020.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 73rd out of 87 countries with data for 2023.
- Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo 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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About this data
February 2026 Data Release