Education > Literacy > Male: Countries Compared
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 | Andorra | 100% | 2008 | ||
| =1 | Liechtenstein | 100% | 2008 | ||
| =1 | Georgia | 100% | 2004 | ||
| =1 | Greenland | 100% | 2001 | ||
| =1 | Luxembourg | 100% | 2000 | ||
| =1 | Finland | 100% | 2000 | ||
| =9 | Estonia | 99.8% | 2003 | ||
| =9 | Ukraine | 99.8% | 2003 | ||
| =9 | Latvia | 99.8% | 2003 | ||
| =9 | Belarus | 99.8% | 2003 | ||
| =9 | Poland | 99.8% | 2003 | ||
| =9 | Kazakhstan | 99.8% | 1999 | ||
| =15 | Slovenia | 99.7% | 2008 | ||
| =15 | Moldova | 99.7% | 2005 | ||
| =15 | Slovakia | 99.7% | 2004 | ||
| =15 | Lithuania | 99.7% | 2003 | ||
| =15 | Russia | 99.7% | 2003 | ||
| =15 | Barbados | 99.7% | 2002 | ||
| =21 | Tajikistan | 99.6% | 2003 | ||
| =21 | Uzbekistan | 99.6% | 2003 | ||
| =21 | Samoa | 99.6% | 2003 | ||
| =24 | Hungary | 99.5% | 2003 | ||
| =24 | Azerbaijan | 99.5% | 2003 | ||
| =26 | Armenia | 99.4% | 2003 | ||
| =26 | Croatia | 99.4% | 2003 | ||
| =28 | South Korea | 99.3% | 2003 | ||
| =28 | Kyrgyzstan | 99.3% | 1999 | ||
| =28 | Turkmenistan | 99.3% | 1999 | ||
| 31 | Mongolia | 99.2% | 2003 | ||
| =32 | Trinidad and Tobago | 99.1% | 2003 | ||
| =32 | Bulgaria | 99.1% | 2003 | ||
| =32 | Romania | 99.1% | 2003 | ||
| =32 | Guyana | 99.1% | 2003 | ||
| =36 | North Korea | 99% | 2011 | ||
| =36 | Monaco | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =36 | Canada | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =36 | Netherlands | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =36 | France | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =36 | Ireland | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =36 | Australia | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =36 | Denmark | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =36 | Italy | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =36 | United Kingdom | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =36 | New Zealand | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =36 | Czech Republic | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =36 | United States | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =36 | Sweden | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =36 | Belgium | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =36 | Switzerland | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =36 | Iceland | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =36 | Germany | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =36 | Japan | 99% | 2002 | ||
| =36 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 99% | 2000 | ||
| =36 | Guam | 99% | 1990 | ||
| =36 | Saint Pierre and Miquelon | 99% | 1982 | ||
| =36 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 99% | 1970 | ||
| Group of 7 countries (G7) average (profile) | 99% | 2003 | |||
| =59 | Serbia and Montenegro | 98.9% | 2003 | ||
| =59 | Cyprus | 98.9% | 2003 | ||
| 61 | Tonga | 98.8% | 1999 | ||
| High income OECD countries average (profile) | 98.76% | 2003 | |||
| European Union average (profile) | 98.73% | 2003 | |||
| 62 | Spain | 98.7% | 2003 | ||
| 63 | Greece | 98.6% | 2003 | ||
| NATO countries average (profile) | 98.6% | 2003 | |||
| 64 | Israel | 98.5% | 2004 | ||
| =65 | Bermuda | 98% | 2005 | ||
| =65 | American Samoa | 98% | 1980 | ||
| =65 | French Polynesia | 98% | 1977 | ||
| =65 | Grenada | 98% | 1970 | ||
| =65 | Cayman Islands | 98% | 1970 | ||
| 70 | Uruguay | 97.6% | 2003 | ||
| Non-religious countries average (profile) | 97.6% | 2003 | |||
| =71 | Thailand | 97.5% | 2003 | ||
| =71 | Aruba | 97.5% | 2000 | ||
| 73 | Martinique | 97.4% | 2003 | ||
| =74 | Macau | 97.2% | 2003 | ||
| =74 | Cuba | 97.2% | 2003 | ||
| =76 | Hong Kong | 97.1% | 2003 | ||
| =76 | Argentina | 97.1% | 2003 | ||
| =78 | San Marino | 97% | 2011 | ||
| =78 | Northern Mariana Islands | 97% | 1980 | ||
| =78 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 97% | 1980 | ||
| =78 | Montserrat | 97% | 1970 | ||
| 82 | New Caledonia | 96.8% | 1996 | ||
| =83 | West Bank | 96.7% | 2004 | ||
| =83 | Gaza Strip | 96.7% | 2004 | ||
| =83 | Netherlands Antilles | 96.7% | 2003 | ||
| =83 | Singapore | 96.7% | 2003 | ||
| =87 | Peru | 96.4% | 2007 | ||
| =87 | Chile | 96.4% | 2003 | ||
| =89 | Philippines | 96% | 2003 | ||
| =89 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 96% | 1970 | ||
| 91 | Costa Rica | 95.9% | 2003 | ||
| 92 | Vietnam | 95.8% | 2003 | ||
| 93 | China | 95.7% | 2007 | ||
| =94 | Portugal | 95.5% | 2003 | ||
| =94 | Fiji | 95.5% | 2003 | ||
| 96 | Turkey | 95.3% | 2004 | ||
| 97 | Jordan | 95.1% | 2003 | ||
| 98 | Anguilla | 95% | 1984 | ||
| 99 | Paraguay | 94.9% | 2003 | ||
| =100 | Brunei | 94.8% | 2003 | ||
| =100 | Sri Lanka | 94.8% | 2003 | ||
| 102 | The Bahamas | 94.7% | 2003 | ||
| 103 | Kuwait | 94.4% | 2005 | ||
| 104 | Zimbabwe | 94.2% | 2003 | ||
| 105 | Belize | 94.1% | 2003 | ||
| =106 | Indonesia | 94% | 2004 | ||
| =106 | Dominica | 94% | 2003 | ||
| =106 | Ecuador | 94% | 2003 | ||
| 109 | Burma | 93.9% | 2006 | ||
| 110 | Venezuela | 93.8% | 2003 | ||
| 111 | Puerto Rico | 93.7% | 2002 | ||
| 112 | Marshall Islands | 93.6% | 1999 | ||
| Emerging markets average (profile) | 93.37% | 2003 | |||
| =113 | Albania | 93.3% | 2003 | ||
| =113 | Equatorial Guinea | 93.3% | 2003 | ||
| 115 | Panama | 93.2% | 2003 | ||
| =116 | Lebanon | 93.1% | 2003 | ||
| =116 | Bolivia | 93.1% | 2003 | ||
| =118 | Maldives | 93% | 2006 | ||
| =118 | Palau | 93% | 1980 | ||
| =120 | Libya | 92.4% | 2003 | ||
| =120 | Malaysia | 92.4% | 2003 | ||
| 122 | Sao Tome and Principe | 92.2% | 2001 | ||
| 123 | Suriname | 92% | 2004 | ||
| 124 | Bahrain | 91.9% | 2003 | ||
| 125 | Malta | 91.7% | 2005 | ||
| 126 | Seychelles | 91.4% | 2003 | ||
| 127 | Federated States of Micronesia | 91% | 1980 | ||
| Former Spanish colonies average (profile) | 90.64% | 2003 | |||
| 128 | Kenya | 90.6% | 2003 | ||
| 129 | Colombia | 90.1% | 2005 | ||
| 130 | Congo, Republic of the | 89.6% | 2003 | ||
| 131 | Saint Lucia | 89.5% | 2001 | ||
| 132 | Qatar | 89.1% | 2004 | ||
| 133 | Mauritius | 88.6% | 2003 | ||
| 134 | Brazil | 88.4% | 2004 | ||
| =135 | South Africa | 87% | 2003 | ||
| =135 | Reunion | 87% | 2003 | ||
| 137 | Mexico | 86.9% | 2005 | ||
| =138 | Oman | 86.8% | 2003 | ||
| =138 | Zambia | 86.8% | 2003 | ||
| 140 | Syria | 86% | 2004 | ||
| 141 | Tanzania | 85.9% | 2003 | ||
| 142 | Cape Verde | 85.8% | 2003 | ||
| 143 | Iran | 85.6% | 2003 | ||
| =144 | Cambodia | 84.7% | 2004 | ||
| =144 | Cameroon | 84.7% | 2003 | ||
| =144 | Saudi Arabia | 84.7% | 2003 | ||
| Former British colonies average (profile) | 84.64% | 2003 | |||
| 147 | Dominican Republic | 84.6% | 2003 | ||
| 148 | Namibia | 84.4% | 2003 | ||
| 149 | Jamaica | 84.1% | 2003 | ||
| 150 | Tunisia | 83.4% | 2004 | ||
| =151 | Egypt | 83% | 2005 | ||
| =151 | Laos | 83% | 2005 | ||
| 153 | Angola | 82.9% | 2001 | ||
| 154 | El Salvador | 82.8% | 2007 | ||
| 155 | Ghana | 82.7% | 2003 | ||
| 156 | Swaziland | 82.6% | 2003 | ||
| Middle Eastern and North Africa average (profile) | 82.27% | 2003 | |||
| OPEC countries average (profile) | 80.95% | 2003 | |||
| 157 | Botswana | 80.4% | 2003 | ||
| 158 | Uganda | 79.5% | 2003 | ||
| 159 | Algeria | 78.8% | 2003 | ||
| =160 | Guatemala | 78% | 2003 | ||
| =160 | Djibouti | 78% | 2003 | ||
| 162 | Rwanda | 76.3% | 2003 | ||
| 163 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 76.2% | 2003 | ||
| =164 | Malawi | 76.1% | 2003 | ||
| =164 | United Arab Emirates | 76.1% | 2003 | ||
| =164 | Honduras | 76.1% | 2003 | ||
| 167 | Nigeria | 75.7% | 2003 | ||
| 168 | Madagascar | 75.5% | 2003 | ||
| 169 | Togo | 75.4% | 2003 | ||
| Muslim countries average (profile) | 75.17% | 2003 | |||
| 170 | Lesotho | 74.5% | 2003 | ||
| 171 | Gabon | 73.7% | 1995 | ||
| 172 | Liberia | 73.3% | 2003 | ||
| 173 | Papua New Guinea | 72.3% | 2003 | ||
| 174 | Sudan | 71.8% | 2003 | ||
| Sub-Saharan Africa average (profile) | 70.55% | 2003 | |||
| 175 | Yemen | 70.5% | 2003 | ||
| 176 | India | 70.2% | 2003 | ||
| 177 | Eritrea | 69.9% | 2003 | ||
| 178 | Nicaragua | 67.2% | 2003 | ||
| Former French colonies average (profile) | 65.9% | 2003 | |||
| 179 | Morocco | 65.7% | 2004 | ||
| failed states average (profile) | 64.37% | 2003 | |||
| 180 | Comoros | 63.6% | 2003 | ||
| 181 | Mozambique | 63.5% | 2003 | ||
| 182 | Central African Republic | 63.3% | 2003 | ||
| 183 | Pakistan | 63% | 2005 | ||
| 184 | Nepal | 62.7% | 2003 | ||
| South Asia average (profile) | 60.98% | 2003 | |||
| 185 | Bhutan | 60% | 2003 | ||
| 186 | Burundi | 58.5% | 2003 | ||
| 187 | Guinea-Bissau | 58.1% | 2003 | ||
| 188 | Cote d'Ivoire | 57.9% | 2003 | ||
| 189 | Chad | 56% | 2003 | ||
| 190 | Iraq | 55.9% | 2003 | ||
| 191 | Haiti | 54.8% | 2003 | ||
| 192 | Bangladesh | 53.9% | 2003 | ||
| 193 | Mali | 53.5% | 2003 | ||
| 194 | Mauritania | 51.8% | 2003 | ||
| 195 | Ethiopia | 50.3% | 2003 | ||
| =196 | Senegal | 50% | 2003 | ||
| =196 | Wallis and Futuna | 50% | 1969 | ||
| 198 | Somalia | 49.7% | 2001 | ||
| 199 | Benin | 47.9% | 2002 | ||
| 200 | The Gambia | 47.8% | 2003 | ||
| 201 | Sierra Leone | 46.9% | 2004 | ||
| 202 | Afghanistan | 43.1% | 2000 | ||
| 203 | Niger | 42.9% | 2005 | ||
| 204 | Guinea | 42.6% | 2003 | ||
| 205 | Burkina Faso | 29.4% | 2003 |
