Literacy rates among adults in South Africa
South Africa: Literacy rates among adults was 91.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Literacy rates among adults in South Africa, 1980–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, literacy rates among adults in South Africa stood at 91.2%.
The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and down 3.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates among adults in South Africa peaked at 95.0% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 76.2%, in 1980.
South Africa ranks 45th of 89 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Literacy rates among adults in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 76.2% | — |
| 1996 | 82.4% | +8.1% |
| 2007 | 88.7% | +7.7% |
| 2009 | 92.9% | +4.7% |
| 2010 | 92.9% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 93.1% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 93.7% | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 94.1% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 94.4% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 91.7% | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 95.0% | +3.6% |
| 2021 | 90.0% | -5.3% |
| 2024 | 91.2% | +1.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 91.2% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 95.5%, 95% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 91.2% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 70.9%, 1.3× the median. (28 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 76.2% | 76.2% | 76.2% | 1 |
| 1990s | 82.4% | 82.4% | 82.4% | 1 |
| 2000s | 90.8% | 88.7% | 92.9% | 2 |
| 2010s | 93.6% | 91.7% | 95.0% | 7 |
| 2020s | 90.6% | 90.0% | 91.2% | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More education data for South Africa
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 181,739 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 339,638 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 410,708 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 407,696 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.50 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.52 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.119 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rates among adults in South Africa?
- Literacy rates among adults in South Africa was 91.2% 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 95.0% in 2019.
- What is the lowest literacy rates among adults recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 76.2% in 1980.
- How does South Africa rank for literacy rates among adults?
- South Africa ranks 45th out of 89 countries with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rates among adults rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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.