People > Literacy > Female: 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.
CONTENTS
| # | COUNTRY | AMOUNT | DATE | GRAPH | HISTORY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| =1 | Liechtenstein | 100% | 2013 | ||
| =1 | Norway | 100% | 2013 | ||
| =1 | Andorra | 100% | 2013 | ||
| =1 | Holy See (Vatican City) | 100% | 2013 | ||
| =1 | Greenland | 100% | 2001 | ||
| =1 | Luxembourg | 100% | 2000 | ||
| =1 | Finland | 100% | 2000 | ||
| =8 | Cuba | 99.8% | 2011 | ||
| =8 | Latvia | 99.8% | 2011 | ||
| =8 | Estonia | 99.8% | 2011 | ||
| =11 | Slovenia | 99.7% | 2011 | ||
| =11 | Lithuania | 99.7% | 2011 | ||
| =11 | Georgia | 99.7% | 2011 | ||
| =11 | Ukraine | 99.7% | 2011 | ||
| =11 | Azerbaijan | 99.7% | 2010 | ||
| =11 | Kazakhstan | 99.7% | 2009 | ||
| =11 | Barbados | 99.7% | 2002 | ||
| =18 | Tajikistan | 99.6% | 2011 | ||
| =18 | Poland | 99.6% | 2011 | ||
| =18 | Russia | 99.6% | 2010 | ||
| =18 | Slovakia | 99.6% | 2004 | ||
| =22 | Turkmenistan | 99.5% | 2011 | ||
| =22 | Armenia | 99.5% | 2011 | ||
| =22 | Belarus | 99.5% | 2009 | ||
| 25 | Antigua and Barbuda | 99.4% | 2011 | ||
| 26 | Uzbekistan | 99.2% | 2011 | ||
| 27 | Tonga | 99.1% | 2006 | ||
| =28 | Czech Republic | 99% | 2011 | ||
| =28 | North Korea | 99% | 2010 | ||
| =28 | Kyrgyzstan | 99% | 2009 | ||
| =28 | Cayman Islands | 99% | 2007 | ||
| =28 | Bermuda | 99% | 2005 | ||
| =28 | New Zealand | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =28 | Belgium | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =28 | Ireland | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =28 | Australia | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =28 | United States | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =28 | Sweden | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =28 | Denmark | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =28 | Iceland | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =28 | Switzerland | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =28 | Canada | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =28 | Germany | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =28 | United Kingdom | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =28 | Netherlands | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =28 | Monaco | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =28 | France | 99% | 2003 | ||
| =28 | Japan | 99% | 2002 | ||
| =28 | Guam | 99% | 1990 | ||
| =28 | Saint Pierre and Miquelon | 99% | 1982 | ||
| 51 | Hungary | 98.9% | 2011 | ||
| 52 | Italy | 98.7% | 2011 | ||
| 53 | Samoa | 98.6% | 2003 | ||
| =54 | Trinidad and Tobago | 98.5% | 2011 | ||
| =54 | Moldova | 98.5% | 2011 | ||
| =54 | Uruguay | 98.5% | 2010 | ||
| =54 | Chile | 98.5% | 2009 | ||
| 58 | Maldives | 98.4% | 2006 | ||
| 59 | Croatia | 98.3% | 2011 | ||
| 60 | Cyprus | 98.1% | 2011 | ||
| =61 | Bulgaria | 98% | 2011 | ||
| =61 | Saint Helena | 98% | 1987 | ||
| =61 | Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha | 98% | 1987 | ||
| =61 | French Polynesia | 98% | 1977 | ||
| =61 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 98% | 1970 | ||
| =66 | Mongolia | 97.9% | 2011 | ||
| =66 | Argentina | 97.9% | 2011 | ||
| 68 | Montenegro | 97.6% | 2011 | ||
| 69 | Romania | 97.1% | 2011 | ||
| =70 | Spain | 97% | 2010 | ||
| =70 | American Samoa | 97% | 1980 | ||
| =70 | Montserrat | 97% | 1970 | ||
| 73 | Serbia | 96.9% | 2011 | ||
| =74 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 96.7% | 2011 | ||
| =74 | Aruba | 96.7% | 2010 | ||
| 76 | South Korea | 96.6% | 2002 | ||
| =77 | Costa Rica | 96.5% | 2011 | ||
| =77 | The Bahamas | 96.5% | 2003 | ||
| 79 | Greece | 96.3% | 2011 | ||
| =80 | Republic of Macedonia | 96% | 2011 | ||
| =80 | Northern Mariana Islands | 96% | 1980 | ||
| =80 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 96% | 1970 | ||
| 83 | Israel | 95.9% | 2004 | ||
| 84 | Philippines | 95.8% | 2008 | ||
| 85 | Albania | 95.7% | 2011 | ||
| 86 | Lesotho | 95.6% | 2010 | ||
| 87 | New Caledonia | 95.5% | 1996 | ||
| =88 | Qatar | 95.4% | 2010 | ||
| =88 | Venezuela | 95.4% | 2009 | ||
| =90 | San Marino | 95% | 2013 | ||
| =90 | Anguilla | 95% | 1984 | ||
| =92 | Portugal | 94% | 2011 | ||
| =92 | Suriname | 94% | 2010 | ||
| =92 | Dominica | 94% | 2003 | ||
| =95 | Jordan | 93.9% | 2011 | ||
| =95 | Brunei | 93.9% | 2011 | ||
| 97 | Singapore | 93.8% | 2010 | ||
| =98 | Colombia | 93.7% | 2011 | ||
| =98 | Macau | 93.7% | 2011 | ||
| =98 | Marshall Islands | 93.7% | 1999 | ||
| =101 | Panama | 93.5% | 2010 | ||
| =101 | Malta | 93.5% | 2005 | ||
| 103 | Paraguay | 92.9% | 2010 | ||
| 104 | China | 92.7% | 2010 | ||
| =105 | West Bank | 92.6% | 2013 | ||
| =105 | Gaza Strip | 92.6% | 2013 | ||
| =107 | Seychelles | 92.3% | 2011 | ||
| =107 | Mexico | 92.3% | 2011 | ||
| 109 | South Africa | 92.2% | 2011 | ||
| 110 | Fiji | 91.9% | 2003 | ||
| =111 | Jamaica | 91.8% | 2011 | ||
| =111 | Kuwait | 91.8% | 2008 | ||
| =113 | Bahrain | 91.6% | 2010 | ||
| =113 | Guyana | 91.6% | 2002 | ||
| =115 | Thailand | 91.5% | 2005 | ||
| =115 | United Arab Emirates | 91.5% | 2005 | ||
| 117 | Vietnam | 91.4% | 2011 | ||
| 118 | Equatorial Guinea | 91.1% | 2011 | ||
| 119 | Puerto Rico | 90.9% | 2011 | ||
| =120 | Malaysia | 90.7% | 2010 | ||
| =120 | Brazil | 90.7% | 2010 | ||
| 122 | Saint Lucia | 90.6% | 2001 | ||
| 123 | Burma | 90.4% | 2011 | ||
| 124 | Turkey | 90.3% | 2011 | ||
| =125 | Ecuador | 90.2% | 2011 | ||
| =125 | Dominican Republic | 90.2% | 2011 | ||
| 127 | Indonesia | 90.1% | 2011 | ||
| =128 | Sri Lanka | 90% | 2010 | ||
| =128 | Palau | 90% | 1980 | ||
| 130 | Hong Kong | 89.6% | 2002 | ||
| 131 | Namibia | 88.5% | 2010 | ||
| 132 | Federated States of Micronesia | 88% | 1980 | ||
| 133 | Kosovo | 87.5% | 2007 | ||
| 134 | Swaziland | 87.3% | 2011 | ||
| 135 | Bolivia | 86.8% | 2009 | ||
| 136 | Mauritius | 86.7% | 2011 | ||
| 137 | Lebanon | 86% | 2007 | ||
| =138 | Gabon | 85.6% | 2011 | ||
| =138 | Botswana | 85.6% | 2011 | ||
| 140 | Honduras | 84.9% | 2011 | ||
| 141 | Peru | 84.6% | 2007 | ||
| 142 | Kenya | 84.2% | 2010 | ||
| 143 | Libya | 83.3% | 2011 | ||
| 144 | El Salvador | 82.3% | 2010 | ||
| 145 | Saudi Arabia | 82.2% | 2011 | ||
| 146 | Oman | 81.8% | 2010 | ||
| 147 | Iran | 80.7% | 2008 | ||
| 148 | Cape Verde | 80.3% | 2011 | ||
| 149 | Zimbabwe | 80.1% | 2011 | ||
| 150 | Solomon Islands | 79.2% | 2013 | ||
| 151 | Congo, Republic of the | 78.4% | 2003 | ||
| 152 | Nicaragua | 77.9% | 2005 | ||
| 153 | Syria | 77.7% | 2011 | ||
| 154 | Belize | 77.1% | 2000 | ||
| 155 | Iraq | 71.2% | 2011 | ||
| =156 | Guatemala | 71.1% | 2011 | ||
| =156 | Tunisia | 71.1% | 2010 | ||
| 158 | Comoros | 70.6% | 2011 | ||
| 159 | Malawi | 68.5% | 2010 | ||
| 160 | Rwanda | 67.5% | 2010 | ||
| 161 | Cambodia | 65.9% | 2009 | ||
| 162 | Egypt | 65.8% | 2012 | ||
| 163 | Ghana | 65.3% | 2010 | ||
| 164 | Cameroon | 64.8% | 2010 | ||
| 165 | Uganda | 64.6% | 2010 | ||
| 166 | Algeria | 63.9% | 2006 | ||
| =167 | Sudan | 63.2% | 2013 | ||
| =167 | Laos | 63.2% | 2005 | ||
| 169 | Burundi | 61.8% | 2010 | ||
| 170 | Madagascar | 61.6% | 2009 | ||
| 171 | Tanzania | 60.8% | 2010 | ||
| 172 | Sao Tome and Principe | 60.1% | 2008 | ||
| 173 | Papua New Guinea | 59.4% | 2011 | ||
| 174 | Eritrea | 59% | 2011 | ||
| 175 | Angola | 58.6% | 2011 | ||
| 176 | Djibouti | 58.4% | 2003 | ||
| 177 | Morocco | 57.6% | 2011 | ||
| 178 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 57% | 2010 | ||
| 179 | Liberia | 56.8% | 2010 | ||
| 180 | Bangladesh | 53.4% | 2011 | ||
| 181 | East Timor | 53% | 2010 | ||
| 182 | Mauritania | 52% | 2011 | ||
| 183 | Zambia | 51.8% | 2007 | ||
| 184 | India | 50.8% | 2006 | ||
| 185 | Nigeria | 50.4% | 2010 | ||
| 186 | Wallis and Futuna | 50% | 1969 | ||
| 187 | Yemen | 48.5% | 2011 | ||
| 188 | Togo | 48% | 2011 | ||
| 189 | Cote d'Ivoire | 47.6% | 2011 | ||
| 190 | Nepal | 46.7% | 2011 | ||
| 191 | Haiti | 44.6% | 2006 | ||
| 192 | Central African Republic | 44.2% | 2011 | ||
| 193 | Mozambique | 42.8% | 2010 | ||
| 194 | Guinea-Bissau | 42.1% | 2011 | ||
| 195 | The Gambia | 41.9% | 2011 | ||
| 196 | Pakistan | 40.3% | 2009 | ||
| =197 | Senegal | 38.7% | 2009 | ||
| =197 | Bhutan | 38.7% | 2005 | ||
| 199 | Sierra Leone | 32.6% | 2011 | ||
| 200 | Benin | 30.3% | 2010 | ||
| 201 | Guinea | 30% | 2010 | ||
| 202 | Ethiopia | 28.9% | 2007 | ||
| 203 | Somalia | 25.8% | 2001 | ||
| 204 | Chad | 25.4% | 2011 | ||
| 205 | Mali | 24.6% | 2011 | ||
| 206 | Burkina Faso | 21.6% | 2007 | ||
| 207 | South Sudan | 16% | 2012 | ||
| 208 | Niger | 15.1% | 2005 | ||
| 209 | Afghanistan | 12.6% | 2000 |
