Literacy rates among adults in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Literacy rates among adults was 43.6% in 2019. ▲ Rising
Latest (2019)
43.6%
Change on year
down 10.7%
World rank
83rd
of 89 countries
All-time high
49.4%
in 2015
All-time low
34.8%
in 2004
Years of data
6
2004–2019
Literacy rates among adults in Sierra Leone, 2004–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Sierra Leone recorded 43.6% for literacy rates among adults in 2019.
The figure is down 10.7% on the previous year and up 25.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates among adults in Sierra Leone peaked at 49.4% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 34.8%, in 2004.
Sierra Leone ranks 83rd of 89 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Literacy rates among adults in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 34.8% | — |
| 2014 | 44.4% | +27.4% |
| 2015 | 49.4% | +11.3% |
| 2017 | 44.8% | -9.3% |
| 2018 | 48.8% | +8.9% |
| 2019 | 43.6% | -10.7% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 43.6% is below the median for low income countries, which is 60.5%, 72% of the median. (13 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 43.6% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 70.9%, 61% of the median. (28 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 34.8% | 34.8% | 34.8% | 1 |
| 2010s | 46.2% | 43.6% | 49.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
- 80 Benin 51.4% compare
- 81 Senegal 50.4% compare
- 82 Cote d'Ivoire 50.0% compare
- 84 Burkina Faso 41.6% compare
- 85 Guinea 39.6% compare
- 86 Afghanistan 37.3% compare
More education data for Sierra Leone
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 38,043 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 73,295 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 85,708 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 92,723 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.16 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.07 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.52 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2393 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rates among adults in Sierra Leone?
- Literacy rates among adults in Sierra Leone was 43.6% in 2019, 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 Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 49.4% in 2015.
- What is the lowest literacy rates among adults recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 34.8% in 2004.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for literacy rates among adults?
- Sierra Leone ranks 83rd out of 89 countries with data for 2019.
- Is literacy rates among adults rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sierra Leone 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 6 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the population aged 15 years and older who can read and write.