Literacy rates among adults in East Timor
East Timor: Literacy rates among adults was 69.4% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Literacy rates among adults in East Timor, 2001–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2022, literacy rates among adults in East Timor stood at 69.4%. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.
The figure is up 19.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates among adults in East Timor peaked at 69.4% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 37.6%, in 2001.
That places East Timor 73rd out of 89 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Literacy rates among adults in East Timor, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 37.6% | — |
| 2007 | 50.6% | +34.6% |
| 2010 | 58.3% | +15.2% |
| 2015 | 64.5% | +10.5% |
| 2016 | 65.8% | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 69.4% | +5.5% |
East Timor compared with similar countries
- East Timor's 69.4% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 78.2%, 89% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
- East Timor's 69.4% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 96.1%, 72% of the median. (16 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 44.1% | 37.6% | 50.6% | 2 |
| 2010s | 62.8% | 58.3% | 65.8% | 3 |
| 2020s | 69.4% | 69.4% | 69.4% | 1 |
Countries ranked near East Timor
More education data for East Timor
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 6,182 (2020)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 140 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 13,267 (2020)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 13,390 (2020)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 162,113 (2020)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 227,656 (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.28 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1645 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rates among adults in East Timor?
- Literacy rates among adults in East Timor was 69.4% in 2022, 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 East Timor?
- The highest recorded value was 69.4% in 2022.
- What is the lowest literacy rates among adults recorded in East Timor?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.6% in 2001.
- How does East Timor rank for literacy rates among adults?
- East Timor ranks 73rd out of 89 countries with data for 2022.
- Is literacy rates among adults rising or falling in East Timor?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this East Timor 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.