Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in MDG: Western Asia
MDG: Western Asia: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 89.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
89.5%
Change on year
down 0.0%
Rank
71st
of 203 groups
All-time high
89.6%
in 2022
All-time low
51.8%
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in MDG: Western Asia, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in MDG: Western Asia is 89.5%, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 1.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in MDG: Western Asia peaked at 89.6% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 51.8%, in 1970.
MDG: Western Asia ranks 71st of 203 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in MDG: Western Asia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 51.8% | — |
| 1971 | 52.4% | +1.2% |
| 1972 | 53.1% | +1.3% |
| 1973 | 53.8% | +1.3% |
| 1974 | 54.5% | +1.3% |
| 1975 | 55.2% | +1.4% |
| 1976 | 55.9% | +1.2% |
| 1977 | 56.5% | +1.2% |
| 1978 | 57.2% | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 57.3% | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 58.1% | +1.3% |
| 1981 | 58.8% | +1.2% |
| 1982 | 59.9% | +1.8% |
| 1983 | 60.6% | +1.2% |
| 1984 | 64.7% | +6.8% |
| 1985 | 65.4% | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 66.0% | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 66.6% | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 67.5% | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 67.8% | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 68.7% | +1.3% |
| 1991 | 69.5% | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 70.3% | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 71.1% | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 71.9% | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 72.7% | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 73.7% | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 74.6% | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 75.5% | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 76.4% | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 77.1% | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 78.0% | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 79.1% | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 80.0% | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 80.8% | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 81.7% | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 82.0% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 82.8% | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 83.4% | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 84.6% | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 85.9% | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 87.3% | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 87.8% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 88.0% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 88.3% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 89.1% | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 89.5% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 89.6% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 89.5% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 89.5% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 89.6% | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 89.5% | -0.0% |
| 2022 | 89.6% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 89.6% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 89.5% | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 54.8% | 51.8% | 57.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 63.5% | 58.1% | 67.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 72.4% | 68.7% | 76.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 80.9% | 77.1% | 84.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 88.4% | 85.9% | 89.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 89.6% | 89.5% | 89.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near MDG: Western Asia
More education data for MDG: Western Asia
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.03 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 1.11 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 6.88 million (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 0.4264 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 6.72 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 12.22 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 517,916 (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate -1.23 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate -1.09 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 3.70 million (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in MDG: Western Asia?
- Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in MDG: Western Asia was 89.5% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in MDG: Western Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 89.6% in 2022.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in MDG: Western Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 51.8% in 1970.
- How does MDG: Western Asia rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
- MDG: Western Asia ranks 71st out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in MDG: Western Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this MDG: Western 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