Literacy rates among adults in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Literacy rates among adults was 60.5% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Literacy rates among adults in Ethiopia, 1994–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2022, literacy rates among adults in Ethiopia stood at 60.5%. That is the highest value across all 8 years on record.
That represents a change of up 10.2% on the previous year and up 25.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates among adults in Ethiopia peaked at 60.5% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 27.0%, in 1994.
That places Ethiopia 78th out of 89 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Literacy rates among adults in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 27.0% | — |
| 2004 | 35.9% | +32.9% |
| 2007 | 39.0% | +8.6% |
| 2013 | 48.4% | +24.0% |
| 2016 | 47.5% | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 55.0% | +15.9% |
| 2021 | 54.9% | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 60.5% | +10.2% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 60.5% is above the median for low income countries, which is 60.5%, 1.0× the median. (13 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 60.5% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 70.9%, 85% of the median. (28 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 27.0% | 27.0% | 27.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 37.5% | 35.9% | 39.0% | 2 |
| 2010s | 50.3% | 47.5% | 55.0% | 3 |
| 2020s | 57.7% | 54.9% | 60.5% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
More education data for Ethiopia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 272,545 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 900,151 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.32 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.16 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.03 million (2015)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 15.93 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.45 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1206 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rates among adults in Ethiopia?
- Literacy rates among adults in Ethiopia was 60.5% in 2022, 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 Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 60.5% in 2022.
- What is the lowest literacy rates among adults recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.0% in 1994.
- How does Ethiopia rank for literacy rates among adults?
- Ethiopia ranks 78th out of 89 countries with data for 2022.
- Is literacy rates among adults rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 8 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the population aged 15 years and older who can read and write.