Literacy in Pakistan
Pakistan: Literacy was 58.86 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Literacy in Pakistan, 1981–2021
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for literacy in Pakistan is 58.86, measured in 2021.
The figure is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 7.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy in Pakistan peaked at 59.13 in 2017 and was at its lowest, 25.73, in 1981.
Pakistan ranks 79th of 89 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 16 years of available data.
Literacy in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 25.73 | — |
| 1998 | 42.7 | +66.0% |
| 2005 | 49.87 | +16.8% |
| 2006 | 54.15 | +8.6% |
| 2007 | 52.14 | -3.7% |
| 2008 | 55.53 | +6.5% |
| 2009 | 54.89 | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 55.38 | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 54.74 | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 56.76 | +3.7% |
| 2013 | 55.59 | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 56.98 | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 59.13 | +3.8% |
| 2018 | 57.01 | -3.6% |
| 2019 | 58 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 58.86 | +1.5% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 58.86 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 78.16, 75% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 58.86 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 94.44, 62% of the median. (15 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Literacy in Pakistan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | +66.0% | 25.73 | 42.7 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 25.73 | 25.73 | 25.73 | 1 |
| 1990s | 42.7 | 42.7 | 42.7 | 1 |
| 2000s | 53.32 | 49.87 | 55.53 | 5 |
| 2010s | 56.7 | 54.74 | 59.13 | 8 |
| 2020s | 58.86 | 58.86 | 58.86 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
More education data for Pakistan
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 81.08 (2024)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 82.07 (2024)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.04 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 440,233 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 5.05 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 4.90 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 19.70 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 25.38 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.1 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy in Pakistan?
- Literacy in Pakistan was 58.86 in 2021, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest literacy recorded in Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 59.13 in 2017.
- What is the lowest literacy recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.73 in 1981.
- How does Pakistan rank for literacy?
- Pakistan ranks 79th out of 89 countries with data for 2021.
- Is literacy rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Pakistan data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Literacy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 16 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).