Literacy rate, youth total in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Literacy rate, youth total was 98.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, youth total in Sri Lanka, 1981–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of people ages 15-24.
Analysis
The most recent figure for literacy rate, youth total in Sri Lanka is 98.9%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and up 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, youth total in Sri Lanka peaked at 99.1% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 91.0%, in 1981.
Sri Lanka ranks 34th of 95 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 16 years of available data.
Literacy rate, youth total in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % of people ages 15-24 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 91.0% | — |
| 2001 | 95.6% | +5.0% |
| 2006 | 97.5% | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 98.0% | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 98.2% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 98.5% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 98.4% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 98.7% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 98.9% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 98.8% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 99.0% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 98.9% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 98.9% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 98.8% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 99.1% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 98.9% | -0.2% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 98.9% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 98.9%, 100% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 98.9% is above the median for South Asia, which is 97.3%, 1.0× the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 91.0% | 91.0% | 91.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 97.0% | 95.6% | 98.0% | 3 |
| 2010s | 98.6% | 98.2% | 99.0% | 7 |
| 2020s | 98.9% | 98.8% | 99.1% | 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, youth total in Sri Lanka?
- Literacy rate, youth total in Sri Lanka was 98.9% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest literacy rate, youth total recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 99.1% in 2023.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, youth total recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 91.0% in 1981.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for literacy rate, youth total?
- Sri Lanka ranks 34th out of 95 countries with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rate, youth total rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.