Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male was 48.0% in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
48.0%
Change on year
down 5.4%
World rank
83rd
of 88 countries
All-time high
52.6%
in 2015
All-time low
42.5%
in 2004
Years of data
6
2004–2019

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male in Sierra Leone, 2004–2019

02040602004201120192004: 42.5 %2014: 44.8 %2015: 52.6 %2017: 47.7 %2018: 50.8 %2019: 48 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male in Sierra Leone is 48.0%, measured in 2019.

The figure is down 5.4% on the previous year and up 13.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male in Sierra Leone peaked at 52.6% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 42.5%, in 2004.

That places Sierra Leone 83rd out of 88 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the bottom quarter.

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male in Sierra Leone, year by year

Annual values for Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male (%) in Sierra Leone, 2004 to 2019.
Year % Change
2004 42.5%
2014 44.8% +5.5%
2015 52.6% +17.4%
2017 47.7% -9.4%
2018 50.8% +6.5%
2019 48.0% -5.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 42.5% 42.5% 42.5% 1
2010s 48.8% 44.8% 52.6% 5

Countries ranked near Sierra Leone

  1. 80 Senegal 60.2% compare
  2. 81 Benin 58.2% compare
  3. 82 Guinea 50.9% compare
  4. 84 Afghanistan 43.2% compare
  5. 85 Mali 42.5% compare
  6. 86 Niger 42.2% compare

See the full ranking of 291 places →

More education data for Sierra Leone

All data for Sierra Leone →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male in Sierra Leone?
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male in Sierra Leone was 48.0% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male recorded in Sierra Leone?
The highest recorded value was 52.6% in 2015.
What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male recorded in Sierra Leone?
The lowest recorded value was 42.5% in 2004.
How does Sierra Leone rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male?
Sierra Leone ranks 83rd out of 88 countries with data for 2019.
Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
Over the last ten years it is up 13.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Sierra Leone 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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Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male in Sierra Leone. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-male-percent-2/sierra-leone/

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About this data

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

February 2026 Data Release