Literacy rates among adults in Qatar
Qatar: Literacy rates among adults was 99.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Literacy rates among adults in Qatar, 1986–2024
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 Qatar is 99.3%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 16 years on record.
The figure is up 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates among adults in Qatar peaked at 99.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 75.6%, in 1986.
Qatar ranks 9th of 89 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 16 years of available data.
Literacy rates among adults in Qatar, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 75.6% | — |
| 1997 | 83.3% | +10.1% |
| 2004 | 89.0% | +6.8% |
| 2007 | 93.1% | +4.6% |
| 2008 | 94.0% | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 94.7% | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 96.3% | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 96.4% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 96.7% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 97.5% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 97.8% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 98.5% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 98.8% | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 99.3% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 99.3% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 99.3% | +0.0% |
Qatar compared with similar countries
- Qatar's 99.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 97.7%, 1.0× the median. (12 countries reporting)
- Qatar's 99.3% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 94.4%, 1.1× the median. (15 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 75.6% | 75.6% | 75.6% | 1 |
| 1990s | 83.3% | 83.3% | 83.3% | 1 |
| 2000s | 92.7% | 89.0% | 94.7% | 4 |
| 2010s | 97.4% | 96.3% | 98.8% | 7 |
| 2020s | 99.3% | 99.3% | 99.3% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Qatar
More education data for Qatar
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 12,368 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1,379 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 25,980 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 24,823 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 151,038 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 180,287 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 5.09 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0631 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rates among adults in Qatar?
- Literacy rates among adults in Qatar was 99.3% 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 Qatar?
- The highest recorded value was 99.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest literacy rates among adults recorded in Qatar?
- The lowest recorded value was 75.6% in 1986.
- How does Qatar rank for literacy rates among adults?
- Qatar ranks 9th out of 89 countries with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rates among adults rising or falling in Qatar?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Qatar 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.