Literacy in Tanzania
Tanzania: Literacy was 78.21 in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
78.21
Change on year
down 4.9%
World rank
61st
of 89 countries
All-time high
82.24
in 2020
All-time low
59.11
in 1988
Years of data
7
1988–2022
Literacy in Tanzania, 1988–2022
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for literacy in Tanzania is 78.21, measured in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.9% on the previous year and up 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy in Tanzania peaked at 82.24 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 59.11, in 1988.
That places Tanzania 61st out of 89 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
Literacy in Tanzania, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 59.11 | — |
| 2002 | 69.43 | +17.5% |
| 2012 | 78.1 | +12.5% |
| 2014 | 79.89 | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 77.89 | -2.5% |
| 2020 | 82.24 | +5.6% |
| 2022 | 78.21 | -4.9% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 78.21 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 78.16, 1.0× the median. (31 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 78.21 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 70.87, 1.1× the median. (28 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 59.11 | 59.11 | 59.11 | 1 |
| 2000s | 69.43 | 69.43 | 69.43 | 1 |
| 2010s | 78.63 | 77.89 | 79.89 | 3 |
| 2020s | 80.22 | 78.21 | 82.24 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
More education data for Tanzania
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 86.51 (2024)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 83.63 (2024)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 106,006 (2020)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 331,605 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 851,911 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 824,648 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.83 million (2021)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 11.39 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.3307 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy in Tanzania?
- Literacy in Tanzania was 78.21 in 2022, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest literacy recorded in Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 82.24 in 2020.
- What is the lowest literacy recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 59.11 in 1988.
- How does Tanzania rank for literacy?
- Tanzania ranks 61st out of 89 countries with data for 2022.
- Is literacy rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Tanzania 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 — 7 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).