Literacy rates among adults in Peru
Peru: Literacy rates among adults was 93.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Literacy rates among adults in Peru, 1981–2024
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 Peru is 93.7%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates among adults in Peru peaked at 94.5% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 81.9%, in 1981.
That places Peru 41st out of 89 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.
Literacy rates among adults in Peru, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 81.9% | — |
| 1993 | 87.2% | +6.4% |
| 2004 | 87.7% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 87.9% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 88.7% | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 89.6% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 93.8% | +4.7% |
| 2014 | 93.7% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 94.2% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 94.2% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 94.2% | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 94.4% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 94.5% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 93.7% | -0.9% |
Peru compared with similar countries
- Peru's 93.7% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 95.5%, 98% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
- Peru's 93.7% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 94.9%, 99% of the median. (15 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 81.9% | 81.9% | 81.9% | 1 |
| 1990s | 87.2% | 87.2% | 87.2% | 1 |
| 2000s | 88.5% | 87.7% | 89.6% | 4 |
| 2010s | 94.1% | 93.7% | 94.4% | 6 |
| 2020s | 94.1% | 93.7% | 94.5% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Peru
More education data for Peru
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 224,754 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 84,765 (2019)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 770,032 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 745,341 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.11 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.71 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.84 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1083 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rates among adults in Peru?
- Literacy rates among adults in Peru was 93.7% 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 Peru?
- The highest recorded value was 94.5% in 2020.
- What is the lowest literacy rates among adults recorded in Peru?
- The lowest recorded value was 81.9% in 1981.
- How does Peru rank for literacy rates among adults?
- Peru ranks 41st out of 89 countries with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rates among adults rising or falling in Peru?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Peru 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.