Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in UNICEF: Gulf Area

UNICEF: Gulf Area: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 98.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
98.5%
Change on year
up 0.2%
Rank
35th
of 203 groups
All-time high
98.5%
in 2024
All-time low
60.6%
in 1986
Years of data
39
1986–2024

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in UNICEF: Gulf Area, 1986–2024

0204060801001986200520241986: 60.6 %1987: 60.8 %1988: 62.2 %1989: 63.5 %1990: 64.7 %1991: 65.6 %1992: 66.9 %1993: 68.1 %1994: 69.4 %1995: 70.7 %1996: 72 %1997: 73.2 %1998: 74.4 %1999: 75.7 %2000: 77 %2001: 78.3 %2002: 80.4 %2003: 81.1 %2004: 82.4 %2005: 83.6 %2006: 84.8 %2007: 85.9 %2008: 87.1 %2009: 88.1 %2010: 89.1 %2011: 93.9 %2012: 94.4 %2013: 94.9 %2014: 95.3 %2015: 96.8 %2016: 96.9 %2017: 97.1 %2018: 97.2 %2019: 97.3 %2020: 98 %2021: 98.1 %2022: 98.3 %2023: 98.3 %2024: 98.5 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

UNICEF: Gulf Area recorded 98.5% for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in 2024. That is the highest value across all 39 years on record.

The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 3.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in UNICEF: Gulf Area peaked at 98.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 60.6%, in 1986.

That places UNICEF: Gulf Area 35th out of 203 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 39 years of available data.

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in UNICEF: Gulf Area, year by year

Annual values for Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes (%) in UNICEF: Gulf Area, 1986 to 2024.
Year % Change
1986 60.6%
1987 60.8% +0.3%
1988 62.2% +2.3%
1989 63.5% +2.0%
1990 64.7% +2.0%
1991 65.6% +1.4%
1992 66.9% +1.9%
1993 68.1% +1.9%
1994 69.4% +1.9%
1995 70.7% +1.8%
1996 72.0% +1.8%
1997 73.2% +1.7%
1998 74.4% +1.6%
1999 75.7% +1.8%
2000 77.0% +1.7%
2001 78.3% +1.6%
2002 80.4% +2.7%
2003 81.1% +0.9%
2004 82.4% +1.6%
2005 83.6% +1.5%
2006 84.8% +1.3%
2007 85.9% +1.4%
2008 87.1% +1.4%
2009 88.1% +1.2%
2010 89.1% +1.1%
2011 93.9% +5.4%
2012 94.4% +0.5%
2013 94.9% +0.5%
2014 95.3% +0.4%
2015 96.8% +1.6%
2016 96.9% +0.1%
2017 97.1% +0.2%
2018 97.2% +0.1%
2019 97.3% +0.1%
2020 98.0% +0.7%
2021 98.1% +0.1%
2022 98.3% +0.2%
2023 98.3% -0.0%
2024 98.5% +0.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 61.8% 60.6% 63.5% 4
1990s 70.1% 64.7% 75.7% 10
2000s 82.9% 77.0% 88.1% 10
2010s 95.3% 89.1% 97.3% 10
2020s 98.2% 98.0% 98.5% 5

Countries ranked near UNICEF: Gulf Area

  1. 32 Kuwait 96.7% compare
  2. 33 Mexico 96.6% compare
  3. 34 Colombia 96.5% compare
  4. 34 Viet Nam 96.5% compare
  5. 36 Paraguay 96.4% compare
  6. 37 Mauritius 96.0% compare
  7. 38 Brazil 95.9% compare

See the full ranking of 290 places →

More education data for UNICEF: Gulf Area

All data for UNICEF: Gulf Area →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in UNICEF: Gulf Area?
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in UNICEF: Gulf Area was 98.5% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Gulf Area?
The highest recorded value was 98.5% in 2024.
What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: Gulf Area?
The lowest recorded value was 60.6% in 1986.
How does UNICEF: Gulf Area rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
UNICEF: Gulf Area ranks 35th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: Gulf Area?
Over the last ten years it is up 3.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this UNICEF: Gulf Area 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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Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in UNICEF: Gulf Area. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-both-sexes-percent-2/unicef-gulf-area/

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About this data

Indicator
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
290 places, 9,602 data points, 1970–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release