Literacy rates among adults in Myanmar
Myanmar: Literacy rates among adults was 93.5% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Literacy rates among adults in Myanmar, 1983–2020
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 Myanmar is 93.5%, measured in 2020.
That represents a change of up 5.0% on the previous year and up 3.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates among adults in Myanmar peaked at 95.8% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 78.6%, in 1983.
Myanmar ranks 42nd of 89 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 78.6% | 78.6% | 78.6% | 1 |
| 2000s | 89.9% | 89.9% | 89.9% | 1 |
| 2010s | 90.0% | 84.8% | 95.8% | 4 |
| 2020s | 93.5% | 93.5% | 93.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Myanmar
More education data for Myanmar
- Duration of pre-primary education 2 years (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre-primary education 3 years (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 68.4% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 24.1% (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age 10 years (2025)
- Primary school starting age 5 years (2025)
- School enrollment, primary 120.2% (2018)
- Primary education, teachers 217,561 (2018)
- Fertility rate vs. average years of schooling 2.1 live births per woman (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female 119.8% (2018)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rates among adults in Myanmar?
- Literacy rates among adults in Myanmar was 93.5% 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 Myanmar?
- The highest recorded value was 95.8% in 2018.
- What is the lowest literacy rates among adults recorded in Myanmar?
- The lowest recorded value was 78.6% in 1983.
- How does Myanmar rank for literacy rates among adults?
- Myanmar ranks 42nd out of 89 countries with data for 2020.
- Is literacy rates among adults rising or falling in Myanmar?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Myanmar 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.