Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, both sexes in Iran, Islamic Republic of
Iran, Islamic Republic of: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, both sexes was 91.4% in 2016. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, both sexes in Iran, Islamic Republic of, 1976–2016
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2016, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, both sexes in Iran, Islamic Republic of stood at 91.4%. That is the highest value across all 11 years on record.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 5.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, both sexes in Iran, Islamic Republic of peaked at 91.4% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 46.0%, in 1976.
Iran, Islamic Republic of ranks 38th of 57 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, both sexes in Iran, Islamic Republic of, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 46.0% | — |
| 1991 | 70.9% | +54.3% |
| 1996 | 78.3% | +10.5% |
| 2005 | 86.4% | +10.3% |
| 2006 | 87.0% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 87.0% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 89.4% | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 88.9% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 90.3% | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 90.4% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 91.4% | +1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 46.0% | 46.0% | 46.0% | 1 |
| 1990s | 74.6% | 70.9% | 78.3% | 2 |
| 2000s | 86.8% | 86.4% | 87.0% | 3 |
| 2010s | 90.1% | 88.9% | 91.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iran, Islamic Republic of
More education data for Iran, Islamic Republic of
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), per capita 0.0516 units per person (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), per capita 0.0487 units per person (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 4.67 million (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 3.5 % change on previous year (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 6.62 million (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 505,053 (2020)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 108,066 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 372,396 (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 2.26 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, both sexes in Iran, Islamic Republic of?
- Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, both sexes in Iran, Islamic Republic of was 91.4% in 2016, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, both sexes recorded in Iran, Islamic Republic of?
- The highest recorded value was 91.4% in 2016.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, both sexes recorded in Iran, Islamic Republic of?
- The lowest recorded value was 46.0% in 1976.
- How does Iran, Islamic Republic of rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, both sexes?
- Iran, Islamic Republic of ranks 38th out of 57 countries with data for 2016.
- Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, both sexes rising or falling in Iran, Islamic Republic of?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iran, Islamic Republic of data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, urban, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release