People > Literacy > Definition: Countries Compared
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DEFINITION:
This entry is derived from People > Literacy, which 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 the Factbook. Information on literacy, while not a perfect measure of educational results, is probably the most easily available and valid for international comparisons. Low levels of literacy, and education in general, can impede the economic development of a country in the current rapidly changing, technology-driven world.
COUNTRY |
DESCRIPTION |
---|---|
AfghanistanAfghanistan | age 15 and over can read and write |
AlbaniaAlbania | age 9 and over can read and write |
AlgeriaAlgeria | age 15 and over can read and write |
American SamoaAmerican Samoa | age 15 and over can read and write |
AndorraAndorra | age 15 and over can read and write |
AngolaAngola | age 15 and over can read and write |
AnguillaAnguilla | age 12 and over can read and write |
Antigua and BarbudaAntigua and Barbuda | age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling |
ArgentinaArgentina | age 10 and over can read and write |
ArmeniaArmenia | age 15 and over can read and write |
ArubaAruba | age 15 and over can read and write |
AustraliaAustralia | age 15 and over can read and write |
AustriaAustria | age 15 and over can read and write |
AzerbaijanAzerbaijan | age 15 and over can read and write |
BahrainBahrain | age 15 and over can read and write |
BangladeshBangladesh | age 15 and over can read and write |
BarbadosBarbados | age 15 and over has ever attended school |
BelarusBelarus | age 15 and over can read and write |
BelgiumBelgium | age 15 and over can read and write |
BelizeBelize | age 15 and over can read and write |
BeninBenin | age 15 and over can read and write |
BermudaBermuda | age 15 and over can read and write |
BhutanBhutan | age 15 and over can read and write |
BoliviaBolivia | age 15 and over can read and write |
Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina | age 15 and over can read and write |
BotswanaBotswana | age 15 and over can read and write |
BrazilBrazil | age 15 and over can read and write |
British Virgin IslandsBrit. Virgin Isl. | age 15 and over can read and write |
BruneiBrunei | age 15 and over can read and write |
BulgariaBulgaria | age 15 and over can read and write |
Burkina FasoBurkina Faso | age 15 and over can read and write |
BurmaBurma | age 15 and over can read and write |
BurundiBurundi | age 15 and over can read and write |
CambodiaCambodia | age 15 and over can read and write |
CameroonCameroon | age 15 and over can read and write |
CanadaCanada | age 15 and over can read and write |
Cape VerdeCape Verde | age 15 and over can read and write |
Cayman IslandsCayman Islands | age 15 and over has ever attended school |
Central African RepublicCentral Africa | age 15 and over can read and write |
ChadChad | age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic |
ChileChile | age 15 and over can read and write |
ChinaChina | age 15 and over can read and write |
ColombiaColombia | age 15 and over can read and write |
ComorosComoros | age 15 and over can read and write |
Congo, Republic of theCongo, Republic of the | age 15 and over can read and write |
Cook IslandsCook Islands | age 15 and over can read and write |
Costa RicaCosta Rica | age 15 and over can read and write |
Cote d'IvoireCote d'Ivoire | age 15 and over can read and write |
CroatiaCroatia | age 15 and over can read and write |
CubaCuba | age 15 and over can read and write |
CyprusCyprus | age 15 and over can read and write |
Democratic Republic of the CongoCongo, DR. | age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba |
DenmarkDenmark | age 15 and over can read and write |
DjiboutiDjibouti | age 15 and over can read and write |
DominicaDominica | age 15 and over has ever attended school |
Dominican RepublicDominican Rep. | age 15 and over can read and write |
East TimorEast Timor | age 15 and over can read and write |
EcuadorEcuador | age 15 and over can read and write |
EgyptEgypt | age 15 and over can read and write |
El SalvadorEl Salvador | age 15 and over can read and write |
Equatorial GuineaEqu. Guinea | age 15 and over can read and write |
EritreaEritrea | age 15 and over can read and write |
EstoniaEstonia | age 15 and over can read and write |
EthiopiaEthiopia | age 15 and over can read and write |
Federated States of MicronesiaMicronesia | age 15 and over can read and write |
FijiFiji | age 15 and over can read and write |
FinlandFinland | age 15 and over can read and write |
FranceFrance | age 15 and over can read and write |
French PolynesiaFr. Polynesia | age 14 and over can read and write |
GabonGabon | age 15 and over can read and write |
Gaza StripGaza Strip | age 15 and over can read and write |
GeorgiaGeorgia | age 15 and over can read and write |
GermanyGermany | age 15 and over can read and write |
GhanaGhana | age 15 and over can read and write |
GreeceGreece | age 15 and over can read and write |
GreenlandGreenland | age 15 and over can read and write |
GrenadaGrenada | age 15 and over can read and write |
GuamGuam | age 15 and over can read and write |
GuatemalaGuatemala | age 15 and over can read and write |
GuineaGuinea | age 15 and over can read and write |
Guinea-BissauGuinea-Bissau | age 15 and over can read and write |
GuyanaGuyana | age 15 and over has ever attended school |
HaitiHaiti | age 15 and over can read and write |
Holy See (Vatican City)Vatican City | age 15 and over can read and write |
HondurasHonduras | age 15 and over can read and write |
Hong KongHong Kong | age 15 and over has ever attended school |
HungaryHungary | age 15 and over can read and write |
IcelandIceland | age 15 and over can read and write |
IndiaIndia | age 15 and over can read and write |
IndonesiaIndonesia | age 15 and over can read and write |
IranIran | age 15 and over can read and write |
IraqIraq | age 15 and over can read and write |
IrelandIreland | age 15 and over can read and write |
IsraelIsrael | age 15 and over can read and write |
ItalyItaly | age 15 and over can read and write |
JamaicaJamaica | age 15 and over has ever attended school |
JapanJapan | age 15 and over can read and write |
JordanJordan | age 15 and over can read and write |
KazakhstanKazakhstan | age 15 and over can read and write |
KenyaKenya | age 15 and over can read and write |
KosovoKosovo | age 15 and over can read and write |
KuwaitKuwait | age 15 and over can read and write |
KyrgyzstanKyrgyzstan | age 15 and over can read and write |
LaosLaos | age 15 and over can read and write |
LatviaLatvia | age 15 and over can read and write |
LebanonLebanon | age 15 and over can read and write |
LesothoLesotho | age 15 and over can read and write |
LiberiaLiberia | age 15 and over can read and write |
LibyaLibya | age 15 and over can read and write |
LiechtensteinLiechtenstein | age 10 and over can read and write |
LithuaniaLithuania | age 15 and over can read and write |
LuxembourgLuxembourg | age 15 and over can read and write |
MacauMacau | age 15 and over can read and write |
MadagascarMadagascar | age 15 and over can read and write |
MalawiMalawi | age 15 and over can read and write |
MalaysiaMalaysia | age 15 and over can read and write |
MaldivesMaldives | age 15 and over can read and write |
MaliMali | age 15 and over can read and write |
MaltaMalta | age 15 and over can read and write |
Marshall IslandsMarshall Isl. | age 15 and over can read and write |
MauritaniaMauritania | age 15 and over can read and write |
MauritiusMauritius | age 15 and over can read and write |
MexicoMexico | age 15 and over can read and write |
MoldovaMoldova | age 15 and over can read and write |
MonacoMonaco | age 15 and over can read and write |
MongoliaMongolia | age 15 and over can read and write |
MontenegroMontenegro | age 15 and over can read and write |
MontserratMontserrat | age 15 and over has ever attended school |
MoroccoMorocco | age 15 and over can read and write |
MozambiqueMozambique | age 15 and over can read and write |
NamibiaNamibia | age 15 and over can read and write |
NepalNepal | age 15 and over can read and write |
NetherlandsNetherlands | age 15 and over can read and write |
New CaledoniaNew Caledonia | age 15 and over can read and write |
New ZealandNew Zealand | age 15 and over can read and write |
NicaraguaNicaragua | age 15 and over can read and write |
NigerNiger | age 15 and over can read and write |
NigeriaNigeria | age 15 and over can read and write |
North KoreaNorth Korea | age 15 and over can read and write |
Northern Mariana IslandsN. Mariana | age 15 and over can read and write |
NorwayNorway | age 15 and over can read and write |
OmanOman | age 15 and over can read and write |
PakistanPakistan | age 15 and over can read and write |
PalauPalau | age 15 and over can read and write |
PanamaPanama | age 15 and over can read and write |
Papua New GuineaPapua NG | age 15 and over can read and write |
ParaguayParaguay | age 15 and over can read and write |
PeruPeru | age 15 and over can read and write |
PhilippinesPhilippines | age 15 and over can read and write |
PolandPoland | age 15 and over can read and write |
PortugalPortugal | age 15 and over can read and write |
Puerto RicoPuerto Rico | age 15 and over can read and write |
QatarQatar | age 15 and over can read and write |
Republic of MacedoniaMacedonia Rep. | age 15 and over can read and write |
RomaniaRomania | age 15 and over can read and write |
RussiaRussia | age 15 and over can read and write |
RwandaRwanda | age 15 and over can read and write |
Saint HelenaSaint Helena | age 20 and over can read and write |
Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da CunhaSaint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha | age 20 and over can read and write |
Saint Kitts and NevisSt Kitts+ | age 15 and over has ever attended school |
Saint LuciaSaint Lucia | age 15 and over has ever attended school |
Saint Pierre and MiquelonSt Pierre+ | age 15 and over can read and write |
Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesSt Vincent+ | age 15 and over has ever attended school |
SamoaSamoa | age 15 and over can read and write |
San MarinoSan Marino | age 10 and over can read and write |
Sao Tome and PrincipeSoa Tome+ | age 15 and over can read and write |
Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia | age 15 and over can read and write |
SenegalSenegal | age 15 and over can read and write |
SerbiaSerbia | age 15 and over can read and write |
SeychellesSeychelles | age 15 and over can read and write |
Sierra LeoneSierra Leone | age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic |
SingaporeSingapore | age 15 and over can read and write |
SlovakiaSlovakia | age 15 and over can read and write |
Solomon IslandsSolomon Islands | age 15 and over can read and write |
SomaliaSomalia | age 15 and over can read and write |
South AfricaSouth Africa | age 15 and over can read and write |
South KoreaSouth Korea | age 15 and over can read and write |
South SudanSouth Sudan | age 15 and over can read and write |
SpainSpain | age 15 and over can read and write |
Sri LankaSri Lanka | age 15 and over can read and write |
SudanSudan | age 15 and over can read and write |
SurinameSuriname | age 15 and over can read and write |
SwazilandSwaziland | age 15 and over can read and write |
SwedenSweden | age 15 and over can read and write |
SwitzerlandSwitzerland | age 15 and over can read and write |
SyriaSyria | age 15 and over can read and write |
TaiwanTaiwan | age 15 and over can read and write |
TajikistanTajikistan | age 15 and over can read and write |
TanzaniaTanzania | age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili), English, or Arabic |
ThailandThailand | age 15 and over can read and write |
The BahamasThe Bahamas | age 15 and over can read and write |
The GambiaThe Gambia | age 15 and over can read and write |
TogoTogo | age 15 and over can read and write |
TongaTonga | can read and write Tongan and/or English |
Trinidad and TobagoTrinidad+ | age 15 and over can read and write |
TunisiaTunisia | age 15 and over can read and write |
TurkeyTurkey | age 15 and over can read and write |
TurkmenistanTurkmenistan | age 15 and over can read and write |
Turks and Caicos IslandsTurks+ | age 15 and over has ever attended school |
UgandaUganda | age 15 and over can read and write |
UkraineUkraine | age 15 and over can read and write |
United Arab EmiratesUAE | age 15 and over can read and write |
United KingdomUnited Kingdom | age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling |
United StatesUnited States | age 15 and over can read and write |
UruguayUruguay | age 15 and over can read and write |
UzbekistanUzbekistan | age 15 and over can read and write |
VanuatuVanuatu | age 15 and over can read and write |
VenezuelaVenezuela | age 15 and over can read and write |
VietnamVietnam | age 15 and over can read and write |
Virgin IslandsVirgin Islands | age 15 and over can read and write |
Wallis and FutunaWallis+ | age 15 and over can read and write |
West BankWest Bank | age 15 and over can read and write |
YemenYemen | age 15 and over can read and write |
ZambiaZambia | age 15 and over can read and write English |
ZimbabweZimbabwe | age 15 and over can read and write English |