Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia
SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 98.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia, 1976–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia is 98.1%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 49 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia peaked at 98.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 62.0%, in 1976.
SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia ranks 36th of 203 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 49 years of available data.
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 62.0% | — |
| 1977 | 62.1% | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 63.2% | +1.8% |
| 1979 | 64.3% | +1.7% |
| 1980 | 65.4% | +1.7% |
| 1981 | 66.5% | +1.6% |
| 1982 | 67.5% | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 68.7% | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 69.7% | +1.6% |
| 1985 | 70.7% | +1.4% |
| 1986 | 71.6% | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 72.6% | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 77.3% | +6.5% |
| 1989 | 78.5% | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 79.5% | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 80.5% | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 81.4% | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 82.3% | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 83.2% | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 84.2% | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 85.0% | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 90.1% | +6.0% |
| 1998 | 90.7% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 91.3% | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 92.0% | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 92.5% | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 93.0% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 93.4% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 93.9% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 94.3% | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 94.6% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 95.3% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 95.6% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 95.8% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 95.8% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 96.0% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 96.2% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 96.3% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 96.8% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 97.0% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 97.2% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 97.2% | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 97.2% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 97.4% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 97.6% | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 97.7% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 97.9% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 98.0% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 98.1% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 62.9% | 62.0% | 64.3% | 4 |
| 1980s | 70.9% | 65.4% | 78.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 84.8% | 79.5% | 91.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 94.0% | 92.0% | 95.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 96.7% | 95.8% | 97.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 97.8% | 97.6% | 98.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia
More education data for SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.32 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 89.12 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.04 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 80.86 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.1689 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 10.74 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.278 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 88.74 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 98.09 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.58 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia?
- Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia was 98.1% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 98.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 62.0% in 1976.
- How does SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
- SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia ranks 36th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Eastern and South-eastern Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: Eastern and South-eastern 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