Literacy rates among adults in Tunisia
Tunisia: Literacy rates among adults was 86.2% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Literacy rates among adults in Tunisia, 1984–2023
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 Tunisia is 86.2%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 12 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.1% on the previous year and up 7.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates among adults in Tunisia peaked at 86.2% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 48.2%, in 1984.
That places Tunisia 55th out of 89 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.
Literacy rates among adults in Tunisia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 48.2% | — |
| 2004 | 74.3% | +54.2% |
| 2007 | 77.2% | +3.9% |
| 2008 | 77.7% | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 79.1% | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 79.7% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 80.2% | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 79.0% | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 79.5% | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 80.5% | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 83.7% | +3.9% |
| 2023 | 86.2% | +3.1% |
Tunisia compared with similar countries
- Tunisia's 86.2% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 78.2%, 1.1× the median. (31 countries reporting)
- Tunisia's 86.2% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 94.4%, 91% of the median. (15 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 48.2% | 48.2% | 48.2% | 1 |
| 2000s | 76.4% | 74.3% | 77.7% | 3 |
| 2010s | 79.7% | 79.0% | 80.5% | 6 |
| 2020s | 85.0% | 83.7% | 86.2% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Tunisia
More education data for Tunisia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 89,644 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 88,316 (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 128,467 (2016)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 122,346 (2016)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.05 million (2016)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.34 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.24 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1096 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rates among adults in Tunisia?
- Literacy rates among adults in Tunisia was 86.2% in 2023, 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 Tunisia?
- The highest recorded value was 86.2% in 2023.
- What is the lowest literacy rates among adults recorded in Tunisia?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.2% in 1984.
- How does Tunisia rank for literacy rates among adults?
- Tunisia ranks 55th out of 89 countries with data for 2023.
- Is literacy rates among adults rising or falling in Tunisia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Tunisia 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.