Literacy rate, youth total in Pakistan
Pakistan: Literacy rate, youth total was 73.1% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, youth total in Pakistan, 1981–2021
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of people ages 15-24.
Analysis
Pakistan recorded 73.1% for literacy rate, youth total in 2021.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 3.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, youth total in Pakistan peaked at 74.5% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 34.8%, in 1981.
Pakistan ranks 83rd of 95 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 16 years of available data.
Literacy rate, youth total in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | % of people ages 15-24 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 34.8% | — |
| 1998 | 55.3% | +59.1% |
| 2005 | 65.1% | +17.6% |
| 2006 | 69.2% | +6.3% |
| 2007 | 66.3% | -4.2% |
| 2008 | 71.1% | +7.3% |
| 2009 | 70.7% | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 71.3% | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 70.8% | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 72.6% | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 71.6% | -1.3% |
| 2014 | 72.8% | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 74.5% | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 72.0% | -3.4% |
| 2019 | 72.7% | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 73.1% | +0.6% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 73.1% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 93.5%, 78% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 73.1% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 98.7%, 74% of the median. (15 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Literacy rate, youth total in Pakistan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | +59.1% | 34.8% | 55.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 34.8% | 34.8% | 34.8% | 1 |
| 1990s | 55.3% | 55.3% | 55.3% | 1 |
| 2000s | 68.5% | 65.1% | 71.1% | 5 |
| 2010s | 72.3% | 70.8% | 74.5% | 8 |
| 2020s | 73.1% | 73.1% | 73.1% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
- 80 Malawi 80.7% compare
- 81 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 77.9% compare
- 82 Zambia 77.7% compare
- 84 Sierra Leone 73.0% compare
- 85 Mozambique 71.4% compare
- 86 Benin 71.2% compare
More education data for Pakistan
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.04 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 440,233 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 5.05 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 4.90 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 19.70 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 25.38 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.1 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.101 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, youth total in Pakistan?
- Literacy rate, youth total in Pakistan was 73.1% in 2021, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest literacy rate, youth total recorded in Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 74.5% in 2017.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, youth total recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 34.8% in 1981.
- How does Pakistan rank for literacy rate, youth total?
- Pakistan ranks 83rd out of 95 countries with data for 2021.
- Is literacy rate, youth total rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Pakistan data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Literacy rate, youth total (% of people ages 15-24). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Youth literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15-24 who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.