Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Zambia
Zambia: Literacy rates of older vs. younger population was 50.0% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Zambia, 1990–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Zambia stood at 50.0%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.1% on the previous year and down 13.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Zambia peaked at 57.9% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 24.4%, in 1990.
Zambia ranks 57th of 85 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 10 years of available data.
Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 24.4% | — |
| 1999 | 38.6% | +58.4% |
| 2002 | 46.2% | +19.6% |
| 2010 | 57.6% | +24.7% |
| 2018 | 49.6% | -13.9% |
| 2019 | 55.8% | +12.6% |
| 2020 | 57.9% | +3.7% |
| 2021 | 55.1% | -4.9% |
| 2022 | 54.5% | -1.1% |
| 2024 | 50.0% | -8.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 31.5% | 24.4% | 38.6% | 2 |
| 2000s | 46.2% | 46.2% | 46.2% | 1 |
| 2010s | 54.3% | 49.6% | 57.6% | 3 |
| 2020s | 54.4% | 50.0% | 57.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More education data for Zambia
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.39 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 7.67 % change on previous year (1988)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 116,859 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 5.61 % change on previous year (2017)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 723,878 (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 663,308 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 651,791 (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 56,680 (2012)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 1.65 % change on previous year (2012)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 69,123 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Zambia?
- Literacy rates of older vs. younger population in Zambia was 50.0% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest literacy rates of older vs. younger population recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 57.9% in 2020.
- What is the lowest literacy rates of older vs. younger population recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.4% in 1990.
- How does Zambia rank for literacy rates of older vs. younger population?
- Zambia ranks 57th out of 85 countries with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rates of older vs. younger population rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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 rates of older vs. younger population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population aged 65 years and older who can read and write.