Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male in China
China: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male was 99.1% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male in China, 1982–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male in China is 99.1%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male in China peaked at 99.1% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 77.8%, in 1982.
That places China 14th out of 88 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 77.8% | — |
| 1990 | 86.8% | +11.6% |
| 2000 | 96.9% | +11.6% |
| 2010 | 98.5% | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 99.1% | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 77.8% | 77.8% | 77.8% | 1 |
| 1990s | 86.8% | 86.8% | 86.8% | 1 |
| 2000s | 96.9% | 96.9% | 96.9% | 1 |
| 2010s | 98.5% | 98.5% | 98.5% | 1 |
| 2020s | 99.1% | 99.1% | 99.1% | 1 |
Countries ranked near China
- 11 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 99.3% compare
- 12 Montenegro 99.2% compare
- 13 Qatar 99.2% compare
- 15 Singapore 99.1% compare
- 16 United Arab Emirates 99.1% compare
- 17 Tonga 99.0% compare
More education data for China
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 52.30 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.68 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 40.93 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -11.55 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 60.67 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 2.11 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 5.02 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.72 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 30.19 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.79 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male in China?
- Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male in China was 99.1% in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 99.1% in 2020.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 77.8% in 1982.
- How does China rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male?
- China ranks 14th out of 88 countries with data for 2020.
- Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release