Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, both sexes in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, both sexes was 93.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, both sexes in Sri Lanka, 1981–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, both sexes in Sri Lanka is 93.9%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 14 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.7% on the previous year and up 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, both sexes in Sri Lanka peaked at 93.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 84.2%, in 1981.
That places Sri Lanka 21st out of 53 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, both sexes in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 84.2% | — |
| 2001 | 90.2% | +7.0% |
| 2006 | 90.8% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 90.4% | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 91.1% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 92.6% | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 91.9% | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 92.2% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 92.5% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 92.8% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 92.8% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 93.2% | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 93.2% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 93.9% | +0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 84.2% | 84.2% | 84.2% | 1 |
| 2000s | 90.5% | 90.2% | 90.8% | 3 |
| 2010s | 92.1% | 91.1% | 92.6% | 5 |
| 2020s | 93.2% | 92.8% | 93.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More education data for Sri Lanka
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 155,543 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 224,799 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 214,300 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.54 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.58 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.89 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0715 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, both sexes in Sri Lanka?
- Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, both sexes in Sri Lanka was 93.9% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, both sexes recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 93.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, both sexes recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 84.2% in 1981.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, both sexes?
- Sri Lanka ranks 21st out of 53 countries with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, both sexes rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, rural, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release