Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Mali
Mali: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 32.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
32.1%
World rank
83rd
of 87 countries
All-time high
32.1%
in 2024
All-time low
4.9%
in 1976
Years of data
8
1976–2024
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Mali, 1976–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Mali is 32.1%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 8 years on record.
The figure is up 19.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Mali peaked at 32.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 4.9%, in 1976.
Mali ranks 83rd of 87 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Mali, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 4.9% | — |
| 1998 | 17.4% | +253.0% |
| 2006 | 20.5% | +17.4% |
| 2010 | 26.1% | +27.4% |
| 2011 | 25.6% | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 26.8% | +4.6% |
| 2018 | 29.5% | +10.1% |
| 2024 | 32.1% | +9.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.9% | 4.9% | 4.9% | 1 |
| 1990s | 17.4% | 17.4% | 17.4% | 1 |
| 2000s | 20.5% | 20.5% | 20.5% | 1 |
| 2010s | 27.0% | 25.6% | 29.5% | 4 |
| 2020s | 32.1% | 32.1% | 32.1% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Mali
- 80 Benin 43.7% compare
- 81 Guinea 34.7% compare
- 82 Sierra Leone 33.7% compare
- 84 Burkina Faso 29.8% compare
- 85 Niger 28.6% compare
- 86 Afghanistan 27.3% compare
More education data for Mali
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.97 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.42 % change on previous year (2018)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1251 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 2.97 million (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -2.42 % change on previous year (2018)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), per capita 0.1251 units per person (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.40 million (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Mali?
- Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Mali was 32.1% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Mali?
- The highest recorded value was 32.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Mali?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.9% in 1976.
- How does Mali rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
- Mali ranks 83rd out of 87 countries with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in Mali?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Mali 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