Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes in China
China: Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes was 99.8% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes in China, 1982–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes in China is 99.8%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes in China peaked at 99.8% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 88.8%, in 1982.
That places China 13th out of 95 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 88.8% | — |
| 1990 | 94.3% | +6.2% |
| 2000 | 98.9% | +4.9% |
| 2010 | 99.6% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 99.8% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 88.8% | 88.8% | 88.8% | 1 |
| 1990s | 94.3% | 94.3% | 94.3% | 1 |
| 2000s | 98.9% | 98.9% | 98.9% | 1 |
| 2010s | 99.6% | 99.6% | 99.6% | 1 |
| 2020s | 99.8% | 99.8% | 99.8% | 1 |
Countries ranked near China
- 10 Macau, China 99.8% compare
- 11 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 99.8% compare
- 12 Philippines 99.8% compare
- 14 Serbia 99.7% compare
- 15 Spain 99.7% compare
- 16 Tonga 99.7% compare
More education data for China
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.41 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 7,020 (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 21.58 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 19.36 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 97.98 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 108.57 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9587 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0771 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes in China?
- Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes in China was 99.8% in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 99.8% in 2020.
- What is the lowest youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 88.8% in 1982.
- How does China rank for youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes?
- China ranks 13th out of 95 countries with data for 2020.
- Is youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 5 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release