Literacy in Benin
Benin: Literacy was 51.38 in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
51.38
Change on year
up 17.2%
World rank
80th
of 89 countries
All-time high
51.38
in 2022
All-time low
16.48
in 1979
Years of data
9
1979–2022
Literacy in Benin, 1979–2022
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2022, literacy in Benin stood at 51.38. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.
That represents a change of up 17.2% on the previous year and up 15.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy in Benin peaked at 51.38 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 16.48, in 1979.
Benin ranks 80th of 89 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Literacy in Benin, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 16.48 | — |
| 1992 | 27.25 | +65.4% |
| 2002 | 34.66 | +27.2% |
| 2011 | 44.69 | +28.9% |
| 2013 | 45.08 | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 38.87 | -13.8% |
| 2019 | 49 | +26.1% |
| 2021 | 43.83 | -10.6% |
| 2022 | 51.38 | +17.2% |
Benin compared with similar countries
- Benin's 51.38 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 78.16, 66% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
- Benin's 51.38 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 70.87, 72% of the median. (28 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 16.48 | 16.48 | 16.48 | 1 |
| 1990s | 27.25 | 27.25 | 27.25 | 1 |
| 2000s | 34.66 | 34.66 | 34.66 | 1 |
| 2010s | 44.41 | 38.87 | 49 | 4 |
| 2020s | 47.61 | 43.83 | 51.38 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Benin
- 77 Mozambique 61.67 compare
- 78 Ethiopia 60.46 compare
- 79 Pakistan 58.86 compare
- 81 Senegal 50.36 compare
- 82 Cote d'Ivoire 50 compare
- 83 Sierra Leone 43.58 compare
More education data for Benin
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 87.56 (2022)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 90.39 (2022)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 57,296 (2022)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 209,295 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 85,495 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 84,746 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 929,099 (2022)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.40 million (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 5.18 % change on previous year (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy in Benin?
- Literacy in Benin was 51.38 in 2022, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest literacy recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 51.38 in 2022.
- What is the lowest literacy recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.48 in 1979.
- How does Benin rank for literacy?
- Benin ranks 80th out of 89 countries with data for 2022.
- Is literacy rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Benin data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Literacy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 9 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).