Literacy rates among adults in Indonesia
Indonesia: Literacy rates among adults was 96.0% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Literacy rates among adults in Indonesia, 1980–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for literacy rates among adults in Indonesia is 96.0%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 4.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates among adults in Indonesia peaked at 96.0% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 67.3%, in 1980.
Indonesia ranks 32nd of 89 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Literacy rates among adults in Indonesia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 67.3% | — |
| 1990 | 81.5% | +21.1% |
| 2004 | 90.4% | +10.9% |
| 2006 | 92.0% | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 92.2% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 92.6% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 92.3% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 92.8% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 95.1% | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 95.2% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 95.4% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 95.7% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 96.0% | +0.4% |
Indonesia compared with similar countries
- Indonesia's 96.0% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 95.5%, 1.0× the median. (33 countries reporting)
- Indonesia's 96.0% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 96.1%, 100% of the median. (16 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 67.3% | 67.3% | 67.3% | 1 |
| 1990s | 81.5% | 81.5% | 81.5% | 1 |
| 2000s | 91.8% | 90.4% | 92.6% | 4 |
| 2010s | 94.4% | 92.3% | 95.7% | 6 |
| 2020s | 96.0% | 96.0% | 96.0% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Indonesia
More education data for Indonesia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.35 million (2025)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.73 million (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.45 million (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 27.84 million (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 28.68 million (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.07 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1004 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rates among adults in Indonesia?
- Literacy rates among adults in Indonesia was 96.0% in 2020, 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 Indonesia?
- The highest recorded value was 96.0% in 2020.
- What is the lowest literacy rates among adults recorded in Indonesia?
- The lowest recorded value was 67.3% in 1980.
- How does Indonesia rank for literacy rates among adults?
- Indonesia ranks 32nd out of 89 countries with data for 2020.
- Is literacy rates among adults rising or falling in Indonesia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Indonesia 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.