Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in SDG: Central and Southern Asia
SDG: Central and Southern Asia: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 75.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
75.6%
Change on year
up 1.2%
Rank
126th
of 203 groups
All-time high
75.6%
in 2024
All-time low
34.3%
in 1975
Years of data
50
1975–2024
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in SDG: Central and Southern Asia, 1975–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
SDG: Central and Southern Asia recorded 75.6% for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in 2024. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 13.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in SDG: Central and Southern Asia peaked at 75.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 34.3%, in 1975.
SDG: Central and Southern Asia ranks 126th 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 SDG: Central and Southern Asia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 34.3% | — |
| 1976 | 34.3% | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 35.0% | +2.0% |
| 1978 | 35.7% | +2.0% |
| 1979 | 36.4% | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 37.1% | +1.9% |
| 1981 | 37.9% | +2.1% |
| 1982 | 38.7% | +2.1% |
| 1983 | 39.5% | +2.1% |
| 1984 | 40.3% | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 41.0% | +1.9% |
| 1986 | 41.8% | +1.9% |
| 1987 | 42.5% | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 43.0% | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 43.6% | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 44.5% | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 45.0% | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 45.9% | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 46.7% | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 47.3% | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 48.1% | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 48.8% | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 49.6% | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 54.5% | +9.9% |
| 1999 | 55.1% | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 55.8% | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 56.6% | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 57.3% | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 58.2% | +1.6% |
| 2004 | 59.1% | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 58.6% | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 59.0% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 59.9% | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 61.0% | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 62.0% | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 64.6% | +4.3% |
| 2011 | 65.0% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 65.1% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 66.0% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 66.9% | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 68.4% | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 69.9% | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 70.6% | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 71.5% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 70.7% | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 71.6% | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 72.7% | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 73.7% | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 74.7% | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 75.6% | +1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 35.1% | 34.3% | 36.4% | 5 |
| 1980s | 40.5% | 37.1% | 43.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 48.5% | 44.5% | 55.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 58.8% | 55.8% | 62.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 67.9% | 64.6% | 71.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 73.7% | 71.6% | 75.6% | 5 |
More education data for SDG: Central and Southern Asia
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 92.92 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 58.28 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate -1.08 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 99.66 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.3161 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.04 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 192.58 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -0.4111 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 8.99 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 2.87 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in SDG: Central and Southern Asia?
- Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in SDG: Central and Southern Asia was 75.6% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in SDG: Central and Southern Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 75.6% in 2024.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in SDG: Central and Southern Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 34.3% in 1975.
- How does SDG: Central and Southern Asia rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
- SDG: Central and Southern Asia ranks 126th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Central and Southern Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: Central and 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