Education > Literacy > Female: Countries Compared
- Home
- Country Info
- Stats
- Education
- Literacy
- Female
DEFINITION:
This entry includes a definition of literacy and Census Bureau percentages for the total population, males, and females. There are no universal definitions and standards of literacy. Unless otherwise specified, all rates are based on the most common definition - the ability to read and write at a specified age. Detailing the standards that individual countries use to assess the ability to read and write is beyond the scope of our source. Information on literacy, while not a perfect measure of educational results, is probably the most easily available and valid for international comparisons.
CONTENTS
| # | COUNTRY | AMOUNT | DATE | GRAPH | HISTORY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| =1 | Holy See (Vatican City) | 100% | 2011 | ||
| =1 | Norway | 100% | 2008 | ||
| =1 | Liechtenstein | 100% | 2008 | ||
| =1 | Andorra | 100% | 2008 | ||
| =1 | Georgia | 100% | 2004 | ||
| =1 | Greenland | 100% | 2001 | ||
| =1 | Luxembourg | 100% | 2000 | ||
| =1 | Finland | 100% | 2000 | ||
| =9 | Estonia | 99.8% | 2003 | ||
| =9 | Latvia | 99.8% | 2003 | ||
| =11 | Samoa | 99.7% | 2003 | ||
| =11 | Poland | 99.7% | 2003 | ||
| =11 | Barbados | 99.7% | 2002 | ||
| =14 | Slovenia | 99.6% | 2008 | ||
| =14 | Slovakia | 99.6% | 2004 | ||
| =14 | Lithuania | 99.6% | 2003 | ||
| =14 | Ukraine | 99.6% | 2003 | ||
| =18 | Russia | 99.5% | 2003 | ||
| =18 | Belarus | 99.5% | 2003 | ||
| =20 | Hungary | 99.3% | 2003 | ||
| =20 | Kazakhstan | 99.3% | 1999 | ||
| 22 | Tajikistan | 99.1% | 2003 | ||
| =23 | North Korea | 99% | 2011 | ||
| =23 | Bermuda | 99% | 2005 | ||
| =23 | Canada | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =23 | Netherlands | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =23 | Monaco | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =23 | France | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =23 | Ireland | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =23 | Australia | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =23 | Denmark | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =23 | Uzbekistan | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =23 | United Kingdom | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =23 | New Zealand | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =23 | Czech Republic | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =23 | Mongolia | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =23 | United States | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =23 | Sweden | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =23 | Belgium | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =23 | Switzerland | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =23 | Iceland | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =23 | Germany | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =23 | Japan | 99% | 2002 | ||
| =23 | Tonga | 99% | 1999 | ||
| =23 | Guam | 99% | 1990 | ||
| =23 | Saint Pierre and Miquelon | 99% | 1982 | ||
| Group of 7 countries (G7) average (profile) | 98.88% | 2003 | |||
| 47 | Moldova | 98.6% | 2005 | ||
| 48 | Guyana | 98.5% | 2003 | ||
| 49 | Uruguay | 98.4% | 2003 | ||
| =50 | Italy | 98.3% | 2003 | ||
| =50 | Turkmenistan | 98.3% | 1999 | ||
| =52 | Azerbaijan | 98.2% | 2003 | ||
| =52 | Bulgaria | 98.2% | 2003 | ||
| High income OECD countries average (profile) | 98.16% | 2003 | |||
| European Union average (profile) | 98.15% | 2003 | |||
| =54 | Martinique | 98.1% | 2003 | ||
| =54 | Kyrgyzstan | 98.1% | 1999 | ||
| =56 | Trinidad and Tobago | 98% | 2003 | ||
| =56 | Armenia | 98% | 2003 | ||
| =56 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 98% | 1980 | ||
| =56 | French Polynesia | 98% | 1977 | ||
| =56 | Cayman Islands | 98% | 1970 | ||
| =56 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 98% | 1970 | ||
| =56 | Grenada | 98% | 1970 | ||
| 63 | Croatia | 97.8% | 2003 | ||
| 64 | Romania | 97.7% | 2003 | ||
| 65 | Spain | 97.2% | 2003 | ||
| =66 | Argentina | 97.1% | 2003 | ||
| =66 | Aruba | 97.1% | 2000 | ||
| =68 | South Korea | 97% | 2003 | ||
| =68 | American Samoa | 97% | 1980 | ||
| =68 | Montserrat | 97% | 1970 | ||
| 71 | Cuba | 96.9% | 2003 | ||
| NATO countries average (profile) | 96.83% | 2003 | |||
| 72 | Netherlands Antilles | 96.8% | 2003 | ||
| =73 | Greece | 96.5% | 2003 | ||
| =73 | The Bahamas | 96.5% | 2003 | ||
| 75 | Cyprus | 96.3% | 2003 | ||
| =76 | Costa Rica | 96.1% | 2003 | ||
| =76 | Chile | 96.1% | 2003 | ||
| =78 | Northern Mariana Islands | 96% | 1980 | ||
| =78 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 96% | 1970 | ||
| 80 | Israel | 95.9% | 2004 | ||
| 81 | Philippines | 95.8% | 2003 | ||
| 82 | New Caledonia | 95.5% | 1996 | ||
| =83 | San Marino | 95% | 2011 | ||
| =83 | Anguilla | 95% | 1984 | ||
| 85 | Maldives | 94.7% | 2006 | ||
| 86 | Thailand | 94.6% | 2003 | ||
| 87 | Lesotho | 94.5% | 2003 | ||
| =88 | Puerto Rico | 94.4% | 2002 | ||
| =88 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 94.4% | 2000 | ||
| =90 | Serbia and Montenegro | 94.1% | 2003 | ||
| =90 | Belize | 94.1% | 2003 | ||
| 92 | Dominica | 94% | 2003 | ||
| 93 | Malta | 93.9% | 2005 | ||
| Non-religious countries average (profile) | 93.86% | 2003 | |||
| 94 | Marshall Islands | 93.7% | 1999 | ||
| 95 | Venezuela | 93.1% | 2003 | ||
| 96 | Paraguay | 93% | 2003 | ||
| =97 | Vietnam | 92.3% | 2003 | ||
| =97 | Seychelles | 92.3% | 2003 | ||
| 99 | Macau | 92% | 2003 | ||
| =100 | Panama | 91.9% | 2003 | ||
| =100 | Fiji | 91.9% | 2003 | ||
| 102 | Jamaica | 91.6% | 2003 | ||
| 103 | Portugal | 91.3% | 2003 | ||
| =104 | Kuwait | 91% | 2005 | ||
| =104 | Ecuador | 91% | 2003 | ||
| 106 | Reunion | 90.8% | 2003 | ||
| 107 | Colombia | 90.7% | 2005 | ||
| 108 | Saint Lucia | 90.6% | 2001 | ||
| 109 | Hong Kong | 90.5% | 2003 | ||
| =110 | Sri Lanka | 90% | 2003 | ||
| =110 | Palau | 90% | 1980 | ||
| 112 | Singapore | 89.7% | 2003 | ||
| 113 | Peru | 89.4% | 2007 | ||
| 114 | Brazil | 88.8% | 2004 | ||
| Emerging markets average (profile) | 88.72% | 2003 | |||
| 115 | Qatar | 88.6% | 2004 | ||
| 116 | Brunei | 88.5% | 2003 | ||
| =117 | West Bank | 88% | 2004 | ||
| =117 | Gaza Strip | 88% | 2004 | ||
| =117 | Federated States of Micronesia | 88% | 1980 | ||
| 120 | China | 87.6% | 2007 | ||
| Former Spanish colonies average (profile) | 87.46% | 2003 | |||
| =121 | Suriname | 87.2% | 2004 | ||
| =121 | Zimbabwe | 87.2% | 2003 | ||
| 123 | Indonesia | 86.8% | 2004 | ||
| 124 | Burma | 86.4% | 2006 | ||
| 125 | South Africa | 85.7% | 2003 | ||
| 126 | Malaysia | 85.4% | 2003 | ||
| 127 | Mexico | 85.3% | 2005 | ||
| 128 | Bahrain | 85% | 2003 | ||
| 129 | Dominican Republic | 84.8% | 2003 | ||
| 130 | Jordan | 84.7% | 2003 | ||
| 131 | Namibia | 83.7% | 2003 | ||
| 132 | Mauritius | 82.7% | 2003 | ||
| 133 | Lebanon | 82.2% | 2003 | ||
| 134 | Botswana | 81.8% | 2003 | ||
| 135 | United Arab Emirates | 81.7% | 2003 | ||
| 136 | Bolivia | 81.6% | 2003 | ||
| 137 | Swaziland | 80.8% | 2003 | ||
| 138 | Kenya | 79.7% | 2003 | ||
| =139 | El Salvador | 79.6% | 2007 | ||
| =139 | Turkey | 79.6% | 2004 | ||
| 141 | Albania | 79.5% | 2003 | ||
| 142 | Taiwan | 79% | 1980 | ||
| =143 | Congo, Republic of the | 78.4% | 2003 | ||
| =143 | Equatorial Guinea | 78.4% | 2003 | ||
| 145 | Sao Tome and Principe | 77.9% | 2001 | ||
| Former British colonies average (profile) | 76.65% | 2003 | |||
| 146 | Honduras | 76.3% | 2003 | ||
| 147 | Zambia | 74.8% | 2003 | ||
| 148 | Syria | 73.6% | 2004 | ||
| 149 | Oman | 73.5% | 2003 | ||
| 150 | Cameroon | 73.4% | 2003 | ||
| 151 | Iran | 73% | 2003 | ||
| 152 | Libya | 72% | 2003 | ||
| 153 | Saudi Arabia | 70.8% | 2003 | ||
| 154 | Tanzania | 70.7% | 2003 | ||
| OPEC countries average (profile) | 70.33% | 2003 | |||
| 155 | Cape Verde | 69.2% | 2003 | ||
| 156 | Nicaragua | 67.8% | 2003 | ||
| Middle Eastern and North Africa average (profile) | 67.41% | 2003 | |||
| 157 | Ghana | 67.1% | 2003 | ||
| 158 | Tunisia | 65.3% | 2004 | ||
| 159 | Rwanda | 64.7% | 2003 | ||
| 160 | Cambodia | 64.1% | 2004 | ||
| 161 | Guatemala | 63.3% | 2003 | ||
| 162 | Laos | 63% | 2005 | ||
| 163 | Madagascar | 62.5% | 2003 | ||
| 164 | Algeria | 61% | 2003 | ||
| Muslim countries average (profile) | 60.7% | 2003 | |||
| 165 | Nigeria | 60.6% | 2003 | ||
| 166 | Uganda | 60.4% | 2003 | ||
| 167 | Egypt | 59.4% | 2005 | ||
| 168 | Papua New Guinea | 59.3% | 2003 | ||
| 169 | Djibouti | 58.4% | 2003 | ||
| Sub-Saharan Africa average (profile) | 55.87% | 2003 | |||
| 170 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 55.1% | 2003 | ||
| 171 | Angola | 54.2% | 2001 | ||
| 172 | Gabon | 53.3% | 1995 | ||
| 173 | Haiti | 51.2% | 2003 | ||
| 174 | Sudan | 50.5% | 2003 | ||
| 175 | Wallis and Futuna | 50% | 1969 | ||
| 176 | Malawi | 49.8% | 2003 | ||
| 177 | Comoros | 49.3% | 2003 | ||
| 178 | India | 48.3% | 2003 | ||
| 179 | Eritrea | 47.6% | 2003 | ||
| Former French colonies average (profile) | 47.6% | 2003 | |||
| 180 | Togo | 46.9% | 2003 | ||
| 181 | Burundi | 45.2% | 2003 | ||
| 182 | Cote d'Ivoire | 43.6% | 2003 | ||
| failed states average (profile) | 42.92% | 2003 | |||
| 183 | Liberia | 41.6% | 2003 | ||
| 184 | Central African Republic | 39.9% | 2003 | ||
| =185 | Morocco | 39.6% | 2004 | ||
| =185 | Mali | 39.6% | 2003 | ||
| 187 | Chad | 39.3% | 2003 | ||
| South Asia average (profile) | 36.17% | 2003 | |||
| 188 | Pakistan | 36% | 2005 | ||
| 189 | Ethiopia | 35.1% | 2003 | ||
| 190 | Bhutan | 34% | 2003 | ||
| 191 | The Gambia | 32.8% | 2003 | ||
| 192 | Mozambique | 32.7% | 2003 | ||
| 193 | Mauritania | 31.9% | 2003 | ||
| 194 | Bangladesh | 31.8% | 2003 | ||
| 195 | Senegal | 30.7% | 2003 | ||
| 196 | Yemen | 30% | 2003 | ||
| 197 | Nepal | 27.6% | 2003 | ||
| 198 | Guinea-Bissau | 27.4% | 2003 | ||
| 199 | Somalia | 25.8% | 2001 | ||
| =200 | Sierra Leone | 24.4% | 2004 | ||
| =200 | Iraq | 24.4% | 2003 | ||
| 202 | Benin | 23.3% | 2002 | ||
| 203 | Guinea | 18.1% | 2003 | ||
| 204 | Burkina Faso | 15.2% | 2003 | ||
| 205 | Niger | 15.1% | 2005 | ||
| 206 | Afghanistan | 12.6% | 2000 |
