Literacy in Zambia
Zambia: Literacy was 71.77 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
71.77
Change on year
down 10.3%
World rank
69th
of 89 countries
All-time high
83.14
in 2010
All-time low
65
in 1990
Years of data
9
1990–2024
Literacy in Zambia, 1990–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for literacy in Zambia is 71.77, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 10.3% on the previous year and down 13.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy in Zambia peaked at 83.14 in 2010 and was at its lowest, 65, in 1990.
That places Zambia 69th out of 89 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Literacy in Zambia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 65 | — |
| 1999 | 68 | +4.6% |
| 2002 | 69.15 | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 83.14 | +20.2% |
| 2018 | 71.13 | -14.4% |
| 2020 | 81.75 | +14.9% |
| 2021 | 79.95 | -2.2% |
| 2022 | 79.98 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 71.77 | -10.3% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 71.77 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 78.16, 92% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 71.77 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 70.87, 1.0× the median. (28 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 66.5 | 65 | 68 | 2 |
| 2000s | 69.15 | 69.15 | 69.15 | 1 |
| 2010s | 77.13 | 71.13 | 83.14 | 2 |
| 2020s | 78.36 | 71.77 | 81.75 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More education data for Zambia
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 86.21 (2017)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 96.49 (2024)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 42,585 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 169,961 (2013)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.39 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.49 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.55 % change on previous year (2017)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2106 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy in Zambia?
- Literacy in Zambia was 71.77 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest literacy recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 83.14 in 2010.
- What is the lowest literacy recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 65 in 1990.
- How does Zambia rank for literacy?
- Zambia ranks 69th out of 89 countries with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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 — 9 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).