Literacy rates among adults in Lesotho
Lesotho: Literacy rates among adults was 90.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
90.5%
World rank
47th
of 89 countries
All-time high
97.3%
in 2016
All-time low
66.1%
in 2006
Years of data
6
2000–2024
Literacy rates among adults in Lesotho, 2000–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 90.5% for literacy rates among adults in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates among adults in Lesotho peaked at 97.3% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 66.1%, in 2006.
Lesotho ranks 47th of 89 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 76.2% | 66.1% | 86.2% | 2 |
| 2010s | 92.0% | 86.2% | 97.3% | 3 |
| 2020s | 90.5% | 90.5% | 90.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 44 Sri Lanka 92.7% compare
- 45 South Africa 91.2% compare
- 46 Thailand 91.1% compare
- 48 El Salvador 89.8% compare
- 49 Iran 88.9% compare
- 50 Cape Verde 88.5% compare
More education data for Lesotho
- Duration of pre-primary education 3 years (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre-primary education 3 years (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 62.0% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 34.1% (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age 13 years (2025)
- Primary school starting age 6 years (2025)
- School enrollment, primary 80.2% (2024)
- Primary education, teachers 10,388 (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. average years of schooling 2.66 live births per woman (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female 78.6% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rates among adults in Lesotho?
- Literacy rates among adults in Lesotho was 90.5% 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 Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 97.3% in 2016.
- What is the lowest literacy rates among adults recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 66.1% in 2006.
- How does Lesotho rank for literacy rates among adults?
- Lesotho ranks 47th out of 89 countries with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rates among adults rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho 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.