Literacy rates among adults in Bahrain
Bahrain: Literacy rates among adults was 97.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
97.8%
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
19th
of 89 countries
All-time high
97.9%
in 2022
All-time low
69.8%
in 1981
Years of data
6
1981–2024
Literacy rates among adults in Bahrain, 1981–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Bahrain recorded 97.8% for literacy rates among adults in 2024.
Over the whole period, literacy rates among adults in Bahrain peaked at 97.9% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 69.8%, in 1981.
That places Bahrain 19th out of 89 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
Literacy rates among adults in Bahrain, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 69.8% | — |
| 1991 | 84.0% | +20.4% |
| 2001 | 86.5% | +3.0% |
| 2022 | 97.9% | +13.1% |
| 2023 | 97.8% | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 97.8% | -0.0% |
Bahrain compared with similar countries
- Bahrain's 97.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 97.7%, 1.0× the median. (12 countries reporting)
- Bahrain's 97.8% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 94.4%, 1.0× the median. (15 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 69.8% | 69.8% | 69.8% | 1 |
| 1990s | 84.0% | 84.0% | 84.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 86.5% | 86.5% | 86.5% | 1 |
| 2020s | 97.8% | 97.8% | 97.9% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Bahrain
More education data for Bahrain
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 8,964 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 23 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 15,546 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 14,992 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 109,221 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 122,305 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 4.09 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.077 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rates among adults in Bahrain?
- Literacy rates among adults in Bahrain was 97.8% in 2024, 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 Bahrain?
- The highest recorded value was 97.9% in 2022.
- What is the lowest literacy rates among adults recorded in Bahrain?
- The lowest recorded value was 69.8% in 1981.
- How does Bahrain rank for literacy rates among adults?
- Bahrain ranks 19th out of 89 countries with data for 2024.
- Where does this Bahrain 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.