Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420)
ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420): Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 75.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420), 1975–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420) stood at 75.7%. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 12.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420) peaked at 75.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 33.2%, in 1975.
ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420) ranks 125th of 203 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420), year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 33.2% | — |
| 1976 | 33.3% | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 34.0% | +2.1% |
| 1978 | 34.7% | +2.2% |
| 1979 | 35.4% | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 36.2% | +2.2% |
| 1981 | 37.0% | +2.2% |
| 1982 | 37.8% | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 38.6% | +2.2% |
| 1984 | 39.8% | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 40.6% | +1.9% |
| 1986 | 41.4% | +1.9% |
| 1987 | 42.0% | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 42.6% | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 43.1% | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 44.0% | +2.0% |
| 1991 | 44.6% | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 45.4% | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 46.3% | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 47.0% | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 47.8% | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 48.5% | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 49.3% | +1.6% |
| 1998 | 54.2% | +9.9% |
| 1999 | 54.9% | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 55.6% | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 56.4% | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 57.2% | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 58.1% | +1.6% |
| 2004 | 59.0% | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 58.6% | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 58.9% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 59.9% | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 61.0% | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 62.0% | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 64.8% | +4.4% |
| 2011 | 65.2% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 65.2% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 66.2% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 67.0% | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 68.6% | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 70.0% | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 70.7% | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 71.6% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 70.8% | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 71.8% | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 72.8% | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 73.8% | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 74.7% | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 75.7% | +1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 34.1% | 33.2% | 35.4% | 5 |
| 1980s | 39.9% | 36.2% | 43.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 48.2% | 44.0% | 54.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 58.7% | 55.6% | 62.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 68.0% | 64.8% | 71.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 73.8% | 71.8% | 75.7% | 5 |
More education data for ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -0.5261 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 100.71 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.1925 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 93.84 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 2.69 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.01 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 108.65 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 3.99 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 4.46 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate -1.19 % change on previous year (2024)
All data for ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420)?
- Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420) was 75.7% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420)?
- The highest recorded value was 75.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420)?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.2% in 1975.
- How does ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420) rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
- ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420) ranks 125th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this ESCAP: South and South-west Asia (sswa) (unsdcode:98420) 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 — 50 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release