Literacy rate vs. GDP per capita in China
China: Literacy rate vs. GDP per capita was 96.7% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate vs. GDP per capita in China, 1982–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2020, literacy rate vs. gdp per capita in China stood at 96.7%. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate vs. gdp per capita in China peaked at 96.7% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 65.5%, in 1982.
That places China 25th out of 89 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
Literacy rate vs. GDP per capita in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 65.5% | — |
| 1990 | 77.8% | +18.7% |
| 2000 | 90.9% | +16.9% |
| 2010 | 95.1% | +4.6% |
| 2020 | 96.7% | +1.7% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 96.7% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 95.5%, 1.0× the median. (33 countries reporting)
- China's 96.7% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 96.1%, 1.0× the median. (16 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 65.5% | 65.5% | 65.5% | 1 |
| 1990s | 77.8% | 77.8% | 77.8% | 1 |
| 2000s | 90.9% | 90.9% | 90.9% | 1 |
| 2010s | 95.1% | 95.1% | 95.1% | 1 |
| 2020s | 96.7% | 96.7% | 96.7% | 1 |
Countries ranked near China
More education data for China
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.41 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 7,020 (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 21.58 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 19.36 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 97.98 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 108.57 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9587 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0771 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate vs. gdp per capita in China?
- Literacy rate vs. gdp per capita in China was 96.7% in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest literacy rate vs. gdp per capita recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 96.7% in 2020.
- What is the lowest literacy rate vs. gdp per capita recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 65.5% in 1982.
- How does China rank for literacy rate vs. gdp per capita?
- China ranks 25th out of 89 countries with data for 2020.
- Is literacy rate vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.7%. 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 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Literacy rate vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population aged 15 years and older who can read and write.