Literacy rates among adults in Cambodia
Cambodia: Literacy rates among adults was 71.9% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Literacy rates among adults in Cambodia, 1998–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Cambodia recorded 71.9% for literacy rates among adults in 2021.
That represents a change of down 12.9% on the previous year and down 5.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates among adults in Cambodia peaked at 87.7% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 67.3%, in 1998.
That places Cambodia 68th out of 89 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 10 years of available data.
Literacy rates among adults in Cambodia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 67.3% | — |
| 2004 | 73.6% | +9.3% |
| 2008 | 76.9% | +4.4% |
| 2009 | 76.1% | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 79.7% | +4.6% |
| 2014 | 78.1% | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 80.5% | +3.2% |
| 2019 | 87.7% | +8.9% |
| 2020 | 82.6% | -5.8% |
| 2021 | 71.9% | -12.9% |
Cambodia compared with similar countries
- Cambodia's 71.9% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 78.2%, 92% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
- Cambodia's 71.9% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 96.1%, 75% of the median. (16 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 67.3% | 67.3% | 67.3% | 1 |
| 2000s | 75.5% | 73.6% | 76.9% | 3 |
| 2010s | 81.5% | 78.1% | 87.7% | 4 |
| 2020s | 77.2% | 71.9% | 82.6% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Cambodia
More education data for Cambodia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 107,312 (2021)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 124,310 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 199,569 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 201,390 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.17 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.27 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.07 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1285 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rates among adults in Cambodia?
- Literacy rates among adults in Cambodia was 71.9% 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 Cambodia?
- The highest recorded value was 87.7% in 2019.
- What is the lowest literacy rates among adults recorded in Cambodia?
- The lowest recorded value was 67.3% in 1998.
- How does Cambodia rank for literacy rates among adults?
- Cambodia ranks 68th out of 89 countries with data for 2021.
- Is literacy rates among adults rising or falling in Cambodia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Cambodia 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.