Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in MDG: Southern Asia
MDG: Southern Asia: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 74.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in MDG: Southern Asia, 1975–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in MDG: Southern Asia stood at 74.6%. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.3% on the previous year and up 13.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in MDG: Southern Asia peaked at 74.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 31.9%, in 1975.
That places MDG: Southern Asia 129th out of 203 groups with data for 2024, putting it 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 MDG: Southern Asia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 31.9% | — |
| 1976 | 31.9% | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 32.6% | +2.2% |
| 1978 | 33.3% | +2.2% |
| 1979 | 34.1% | +2.2% |
| 1980 | 34.8% | +2.2% |
| 1981 | 35.6% | +2.2% |
| 1982 | 36.4% | +2.3% |
| 1983 | 37.2% | +2.3% |
| 1984 | 38.0% | +2.1% |
| 1985 | 38.8% | +2.0% |
| 1986 | 39.5% | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 40.2% | +1.7% |
| 1988 | 40.8% | +1.4% |
| 1989 | 41.3% | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 42.2% | +2.1% |
| 1991 | 42.8% | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 43.6% | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 44.5% | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 45.2% | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 46.0% | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 46.8% | +1.7% |
| 1997 | 47.6% | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 52.7% | +10.8% |
| 1999 | 53.4% | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 54.1% | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 54.9% | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 55.7% | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 56.6% | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 57.5% | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 57.0% | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 57.4% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 58.4% | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 59.6% | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 60.5% | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 63.3% | +4.6% |
| 2011 | 63.7% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 63.7% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 64.7% | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 65.6% | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 67.2% | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 68.7% | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 69.4% | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 70.3% | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 69.5% | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 70.5% | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 71.6% | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 72.7% | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 73.6% | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 74.6% | +1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 32.7% | 31.9% | 34.1% | 5 |
| 1980s | 38.3% | 34.8% | 41.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 46.5% | 42.2% | 53.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 57.2% | 54.1% | 60.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 66.6% | 63.3% | 70.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 72.6% | 70.5% | 74.6% | 5 |
More education data for MDG: Southern Asia
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 7.57 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -0.56 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 6.70 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 2.81 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 88.16 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.205 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 94.56 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate -1.26 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 54.48 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 28.18 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in MDG: Southern Asia?
- Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in MDG: Southern Asia was 74.6% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in MDG: Southern Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 74.6% in 2024.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in MDG: Southern Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.9% in 1975.
- How does MDG: Southern Asia rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
- MDG: Southern Asia ranks 129th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in MDG: Southern Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this MDG: Southern Asia 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