Literacy rates among adults in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Literacy rates among adults was 37.3% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Literacy rates among adults in Afghanistan, 1979–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2021, literacy rates among adults in Afghanistan stood at 37.3%. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.5% on the previous year and up 18.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates among adults in Afghanistan peaked at 37.3% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 18.2%, in 1979.
That places Afghanistan 86th out of 89 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Literacy rates among adults in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 18.2% | — |
| 2011 | 31.4% | +73.2% |
| 2015 | 33.8% | +7.3% |
| 2020 | 36.0% | +6.7% |
| 2021 | 37.3% | +3.5% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 37.3% is below the median for low income countries, which is 60.5%, 62% of the median. (13 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 37.3% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 94.4%, 39% of the median. (15 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 18.2% | 18.2% | 18.2% | 1 |
| 2010s | 32.6% | 31.4% | 33.8% | 2 |
| 2020s | 36.6% | 36.0% | 37.3% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More education data for Afghanistan
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 88,020 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 343,942 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 13,837 (2003)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 10,383 (2003)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.43 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.51 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.56 % change on previous year (2019)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1811 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rates among adults in Afghanistan?
- Literacy rates among adults in Afghanistan was 37.3% in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest literacy rates among adults recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 37.3% in 2021.
- What is the lowest literacy rates among adults recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.2% in 1979.
- How does Afghanistan rank for literacy rates among adults?
- Afghanistan ranks 86th out of 89 countries with data for 2021.
- Is literacy rates among adults rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan 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 among adults. 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.