Literacy rates of younger vs older population in China
China: Literacy rates of younger vs older population was 87.11 in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
87.11
World rank
22nd
of 85 countries
All-time high
87.11
in 2020
All-time low
24.13
in 1982
Years of data
5
1982–2020
Literacy rates of younger vs older population in China, 1982–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2020, literacy rates of younger vs older population in China stood at 87.11. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.
That represents a change of up 17.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates of younger vs older population in China peaked at 87.11 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 24.13, in 1982.
China ranks 22nd of 85 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Literacy rates of younger vs older population in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 24.13 | — |
| 1990 | 24.93 | +3.3% |
| 2000 | 58.72 | +135.5% |
| 2010 | 73.91 | +25.9% |
| 2020 | 87.11 | +17.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 24.13 | 24.13 | 24.13 | 1 |
| 1990s | 24.93 | 24.93 | 24.93 | 1 |
| 2000s | 58.72 | 58.72 | 58.72 | 1 |
| 2010s | 73.91 | 73.91 | 73.91 | 1 |
| 2020s | 87.11 | 87.11 | 87.11 | 1 |
Countries ranked near China
More education data for China
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of secondary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,023 tertiary education (2024)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0495 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 6.74 million (2024)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 69.7% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 15.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rates of younger vs older population in China?
- Literacy rates of younger vs older population in China was 87.11 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest literacy rates of younger vs older population recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 87.11 in 2020.
- What is the lowest literacy rates of younger vs older population recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.13 in 1982.
- How does China rank for literacy rates of younger vs older population?
- China ranks 22nd out of 85 countries with data for 2020.
- Is literacy rates of younger vs older population rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Literacy rates of younger vs older population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 5 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).