Literacy rates among adults in Vietnam
Vietnam: Literacy rates among adults was 96.1% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Literacy rates among adults in Vietnam, 1979–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Vietnam recorded 96.1% for literacy rates among adults in 2022. That is the highest value across all 7 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 2.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates among adults in Vietnam peaked at 96.1% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 83.8%, in 1979.
That places Vietnam 31st out of 89 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
Literacy rates among adults in Vietnam, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 83.8% | — |
| 1989 | 87.6% | +4.5% |
| 1999 | 90.3% | +3.1% |
| 2000 | 90.2% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 93.5% | +3.7% |
| 2019 | 95.8% | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 96.1% | +0.4% |
Vietnam compared with similar countries
- Vietnam's 96.1% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 95.5%, 1.0× the median. (33 countries reporting)
- Vietnam's 96.1% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 96.1%, 1.0× the median. (16 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 83.8% | 83.8% | 83.8% | 1 |
| 1980s | 87.6% | 87.6% | 87.6% | 1 |
| 1990s | 90.3% | 90.3% | 90.3% | 1 |
| 2000s | 91.8% | 90.2% | 93.5% | 2 |
| 2010s | 95.8% | 95.8% | 95.8% | 1 |
| 2020s | 96.1% | 96.1% | 96.1% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Vietnam
More education data for Vietnam
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 456,146 (2022)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 64,555 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.15 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.99 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 9.61 million (2022)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 8.88 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -3.44 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0879 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rates among adults in Vietnam?
- Literacy rates among adults in Vietnam was 96.1% 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 Vietnam?
- The highest recorded value was 96.1% in 2022.
- What is the lowest literacy rates among adults recorded in Vietnam?
- The lowest recorded value was 83.8% in 1979.
- How does Vietnam rank for literacy rates among adults?
- Vietnam ranks 31st out of 89 countries with data for 2022.
- Is literacy rates among adults rising or falling in Vietnam?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Vietnam 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.