Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in WB: South Asia
WB: South Asia: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 76.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in WB: South Asia, 1975–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in WB: South Asia is 76.2%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.4% on the previous year and up 14.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in WB: South Asia peaked at 76.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 32.8%, in 1976.
WB: South Asia ranks 122nd 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 WB: South Asia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 32.8% | — |
| 1976 | 32.8% | -0.0% |
| 1977 | 33.5% | +2.2% |
| 1978 | 34.2% | +2.2% |
| 1979 | 35.0% | +2.2% |
| 1980 | 35.8% | +2.3% |
| 1981 | 36.6% | +2.2% |
| 1982 | 37.4% | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 38.2% | +2.1% |
| 1984 | 39.0% | +2.1% |
| 1985 | 39.8% | +2.0% |
| 1986 | 40.6% | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 41.2% | +1.7% |
| 1988 | 41.8% | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 42.3% | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 42.9% | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 43.5% | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 44.2% | +1.5% |
| 1993 | 44.9% | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 45.6% | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 46.3% | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 47.1% | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 47.9% | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 53.7% | +12.2% |
| 1999 | 54.4% | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 55.1% | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 55.9% | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 56.6% | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 57.5% | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 58.3% | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 57.5% | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 57.9% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 58.8% | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 59.6% | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 60.6% | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 63.8% | +5.3% |
| 2011 | 64.6% | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 64.3% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 65.6% | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 66.5% | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 68.2% | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 69.9% | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 70.7% | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 71.6% | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 70.6% | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 71.7% | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 72.9% | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 74.1% | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 75.2% | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 76.2% | +1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 33.7% | 32.8% | 35.0% | 5 |
| 1980s | 39.3% | 35.8% | 42.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 47.0% | 42.9% | 54.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 57.8% | 55.1% | 60.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 67.6% | 63.8% | 71.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 74.0% | 71.7% | 76.2% | 5 |
More education data for WB: South Asia
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 4.46 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate -1.3 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 74.44 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 3.24 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 5.84 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -2.02 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 152.88 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 77.39 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 160.82 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 4.5 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in WB: South Asia?
- Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in WB: South Asia was 76.2% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in WB: South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 76.2% in 2024.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in WB: South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 32.8% in 1976.
- How does WB: South Asia rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
- WB: South Asia ranks 122nd out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in WB: South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this WB: South 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 50 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release