List of Countries by Literacy Rate 2026
List of Countries by Literacy Rate (2026) ranks countries based on the percentage of adults who can read and write with understanding. Explore global literacy rankings, interactive maps, and education statistics to compare literacy levels and discover which countries have the highest and lowest literacy rates.
🌍 Literacy Rate 2026 Map
Click any country to view full Literacy Rate 2026, rank, and continent.
Global Literacy Statistics Live Counter
The Global Literacy Statistics Live Counter (2026) tracks the estimated increase in the number of literate adults worldwide throughout the year, along with the projected total increase by the end of 2026.
🌍 New Literate Adults Added in 2026 Live Counter
- Figures shown are live estimates based on the most recent available data.
- Estimated this year, today, week, and month counters update continuously.
- Per Second resets every second, and Per Minute resets every minute.
- Exact real-time values cannot be known with complete certainty, so counters are estimates.
List of Countries by Literacy Rate (2026)
| # | Country | Literacy Rate 2026 | Continent | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇫🇮Finland |
100% | Europe | % |
| 2 | 🇳🇴Norway |
100% | Europe | % |
| 3 | 🇱🇺Luxembourg |
100% | Europe | % |
| 4 | 🇦🇩Andorra |
100% | Europe | % |
| 5 | 🇬🇱Greenland |
100% | North America | % |
| 6 | 🇱🇮Liechtenstein |
100% | Europe | % |
| 7 | 🇺🇿Uzbekistan |
100% | Asia | % |
| 8 | 🇱🇻Latvia |
99.89% | Europe | % |
| 9 | 🇪🇪Estonia |
99.82% | Europe | % |
| 10 | 🇱🇹Lithuania |
99.82% | Europe | % |
| 11 | 🇦🇿Azerbaijan |
99.81% | Asia | % |
| 12 | 🇬🇺Guam |
99.79% | Oceania | % |
| 13 | 🇰🇿Kazakhstan |
99.79% | Asia | % |
| 14 | 🇵🇱Poland |
99.79% | Europe | % |
| 15 | 🇹🇯Tajikistan |
99.78% | Asia | % |
| 16 | 🇦🇲Armenia |
99.77% | Asia | % |
| 17 | 🇺🇦Ukraine |
99.76% | Europe | % |
| 18 | 🇬🇪Georgia |
99.76% | Asia | % |
| 19 | 🇧🇾Belarus |
99.72% | Europe | % |
| 20 | 🇷🇺Russia |
99.72% | Europe | % |
| 21 | 🇸🇮Slovenia |
99.71% | Europe | % |
| 22 | 🇨🇺Cuba |
99.71% | North America | % |
| 23 | 🇧🇧Barbados |
99.7% | North America | % |
| 24 | 🇹🇲Turkmenistan |
99.69% | Asia | % |
| 25 | 🇸🇰Slovakia |
99.6% | Europe | % |
| 26 | 🇵🇼Palau |
99.52% | Oceania | % |
| 27 | 🇰🇬Kyrgyzstan |
99.5% | Asia | % |
| 28 | 🇹🇴Tonga |
99.4% | Oceania | % |
| 29 | 🇭🇺Hungary |
99.38% | Europe | % |
| 30 | 🇲🇻Maldives |
99.32% | Asia | % |
| 31 | 🇭🇷Croatia |
99.27% | Europe | % |
| 32 | 🇲🇩Moldova |
99.24% | Europe | % |
| 33 | 🇨🇾Cyprus |
99.06% | Asia | % |
| 34 | 🇮🇹Italy |
99.02% | Europe | % |
| 35 | 🇼🇸Samoa |
99.02% | Oceania | % |
| 36 | 🇺🇸United States |
99% | North America | % |
| 37 | 🇯🇵Japan |
99% | Asia | % |
| 38 | 🇩🇪Germany |
99% | Europe | % |
| 39 | 🇬🇧United Kingdom |
99% | Europe | % |
| 40 | 🇫🇷France |
99% | Europe | % |
| 41 | 🇨🇦Canada |
99% | North America | % |
| 42 | 🇦🇺Australia |
99% | Oceania | % |
| 43 | 🇳🇱Netherlands |
99% | Europe | % |
| 44 | 🇧🇪Belgium |
99% | Europe | % |
| 45 | 🇸🇪Sweden |
99% | Europe | % |
| 46 | 🇨🇭Switzerland |
99% | Europe | % |
| 47 | 🇩🇰Denmark |
99% | Europe | % |
| 48 | 🇳🇿New Zealand |
99% | Oceania | % |
| 49 | 🇮🇪Ireland |
99% | Europe | % |
| 50 | 🇮🇸Iceland |
99% | Europe | % |
| 51 | 🇲🇨Monaco |
99% | Europe | % |
| 52 | 🇵🇲Saint Pierre And Miquelon |
99% | North America | % |
| 53 | 🇹🇹Trinidad And Tobago |
98.97% | North America | % |
| 54 | 🇦🇬Antigua And Barbuda |
98.95% | North America | % |
| 55 | 🇰🇾Cayman Islands |
98.87% | North America | % |
| 56 | 🇷🇴Romania |
98.76% | Europe | % |
| 57 | 🇲🇪Montenegro |
98.72% | Europe | % |
| 58 | 🇧🇦Bosnia And Herzegovina |
98.49% | Europe | % |
| 59 | 🇺🇾Uruguay |
98.44% | South America | % |
| 60 | 🇧🇬Bulgaria |
98.39% | Europe | % |
| 61 | 🇲🇳Mongolia |
98.37% | Asia | % |
| 62 | 🇲🇭Marshall Islands |
98.27% | Oceania | % |
| 63 | 🇪🇸Spain |
98.11% | Europe | % |
| 64 | 🇦🇷Argentina |
98.09% | South America | % |
| 65 | 🇯🇴Jordan |
98.01% | Asia | % |
| 66 | 🇷🇸Serbia |
98% | Europe | % |
| 67 | 🇦🇹Austria |
98% | Europe | % |
| 68 | 🇵🇫French Polynesia |
98% | Oceania | % |
| 69 | 🇧🇲Bermuda |
98% | North America | % |
| 70 | 🇹🇨Turks And Caicos Islands |
98% | North America | % |
| 71 | 🇰🇷South Korea |
97.97% | Asia | % |
| 72 | 🇲🇰North Macedonia |
97.84% | Europe | % |
| 73 | 🇰🇳Saint Kitts And Nevis |
97.8% | North America | % |
| 74 | 🇻🇬British Virgin Islands |
97.8% | North America | % |
| 75 | 🇶🇦Qatar |
97.76% | Asia | % |
| 76 | 🇨🇷Costa Rica |
97.65% | North America | % |
| 77 | 🇦🇱Albania |
97.55% | Europe | % |
| 78 | 🇦🇼Aruba |
97.52% | North America | % |
| 79 | 🇦🇸American Samoa |
97.34% | Oceania | % |
| 80 | 🇮🇱Israel |
97.1% | Asia | % |
| 81 | 🇲🇵Northern Mariana Islands |
97% | Oceania | % |
| 82 | 🇲🇸Montserrat |
97% | North America | % |
| 83 | 🇳🇨New Caledonia |
96.94% | Oceania | % |
| 84 | 🇸🇬Singapore |
96.77% | Asia | % |
| 85 | 🇵🇸State of Palestine |
96.67% | Asia | % |
| 86 | 🇧🇳Brunei |
96.66% | Asia | % |
| 87 | 🇨🇱Chile |
96.63% | South America | % |
| 88 | 🇵🇭Philippines |
96.62% | Asia | % |
| 89 | 🇨🇳China |
96.36% | Asia | % |
| 90 | 🇰🇼Kuwait |
96.12% | Asia | % |
| 91 | 🇹🇼Taiwan |
96.1% | Asia | % |
| 92 | 🇬🇩Grenada |
96% | North America | % |
| 93 | 🇸🇲San Marino |
96% | Europe | % |
| 94 | 🇧🇭Bahrain |
95.72% | Asia | % |
| 95 | 🇹🇷Turkey |
95.69% | Asia | % |
| 96 | 🇻🇨Saint Vincent And The Grenadines |
95.63% | North America | % |
| 97 | 🇧🇸Bahamas |
95.6% | North America | % |
| 98 | 🇸🇷Suriname |
95.54% | South America | % |
| 99 | 🇵🇾Paraguay |
95.54% | South America | % |
| 100 | 🇮🇩Indonesia |
95.44% | Asia | % |
| 101 | 🇵🇹Portugal |
95.43% | Europe | % |
| 102 | 🇻🇪Venezuela |
95.4% | South America | % |
| 103 | 🇸🇨Seychelles |
95.32% | Africa | % |
| 104 | 🇬🇷Greece |
95.29% | Europe | % |
| 105 | 🇬🇶Equatorial Guinea |
95.2% | Africa | % |
| 106 | 🇧🇴Bolivia |
95.14% | South America | % |
| 107 | 🇵🇦Panama |
95.04% | North America | % |
| 108 | 🇨🇰Cook Islands |
95% | Oceania | % |
| 109 | 🇦🇮Anguilla |
95% | North America | % |
| 110 | 🇳🇺Niue |
95% | Oceania | % |
| 111 | 🇸🇦Saudi Arabia |
94.84% | Asia | % |
| 112 | 🇲🇾Malaysia |
94.64% | Asia | % |
| 113 | 🇿🇦South Africa |
94.6% | Africa | % |
| 114 | 🇨🇴Colombia |
94.58% | South America | % |
| 115 | 🇲🇽Mexico |
94.55% | North America | % |
| 116 | 🇪🇨Ecuador |
94.52% | South America | % |
| 117 | 🇻🇳Vietnam |
94.51% | Asia | % |
| 118 | 🇵🇪Peru |
94.37% | South America | % |
| 119 | 🇲🇹Malta |
94.07% | Europe | % |
| 120 | 🇱🇧Lebanon |
94.05% | Asia | % |
| 121 | 🇩🇲Dominica |
94% | North America | % |
| 122 | 🇹🇭Thailand |
93.98% | Asia | % |
| 123 | 🇴🇲Oman |
93.97% | Asia | % |
| 124 | 🇫🇯Fiji |
93.7% | Oceania | % |
| 125 | 🇭🇰Hong Kong |
93.5% | Asia | % |
| 126 | 🇵🇷Puerto Rico |
93.33% | North America | % |
| 127 | 🇲🇲Myanmar |
93.09% | Asia | % |
| 128 | 🇦🇪United Arab Emirates |
92.99% | Asia | % |
| 129 | 🇱🇰Sri Lanka |
92.61% | Asia | % |
| 130 | 🇧🇷Brazil |
92.59% | South America | % |
| 131 | 🇩🇴Dominican Republic |
92.47% | North America | % |
| 132 | 🇸🇹Sao Tome And Principe |
91.75% | Africa | % |
| 133 | 🇱🇾Libya |
91.39% | Africa | % |
| 134 | 🇳🇦Namibia |
90.82% | Africa | % |
| 135 | 🇲🇺Mauritius |
90.62% | Africa | % |
| 136 | 🇱🇨Saint Lucia |
90.1% | North America | % |
| 137 | 🇫🇲Micronesia |
89% | Oceania | % |
| 138 | 🇯🇲Jamaica |
88.5% | North America | % |
| 139 | 🇨🇻Cape Verde |
88.47% | Africa | % |
| 140 | 🇭🇳Honduras |
88.42% | North America | % |
| 141 | 🇧🇼Botswana |
88.22% | Africa | % |
| 142 | 🇸🇻El Salvador |
87.65% | North America | % |
| 143 | 🇬🇾Guyana |
87.54% | South America | % |
| 144 | 🇸🇿Eswatini |
87.47% | Africa | % |
| 145 | 🇮🇷Iran |
87.17% | Asia | % |
| 146 | 🇿🇼Zimbabwe |
86.87% | Africa | % |
| 147 | 🇸🇾Syria |
86.3% | Asia | % |
| 148 | 🇧🇮Burundi |
85.5% | Africa | % |
| 149 | 🇿🇲Zambia |
85.12% | Africa | % |
| 150 | 🇻🇺Vanuatu |
85.06% | Oceania | % |
| 151 | 🇸🇧Solomon Islands |
84.1% | Oceania | % |
| 152 | 🇬🇦Gabon |
83.24% | Africa | % |
| 153 | 🇧🇿Belize |
82.78% | North America | % |
| 154 | 🇳🇮Nicaragua |
82.47% | North America | % |
| 155 | 🇹🇳Tunisia |
81.05% | Africa | % |
| 156 | 🇹🇿Tanzania |
80.36% | Africa | % |
| 157 | 🇬🇮Gibraltar |
80% | Europe | % |
| 158 | 🇱🇦Laos |
79.87% | Asia | % |
| 159 | 🇮🇶Iraq |
79.72% | Asia | % |
| 160 | 🇩🇿Algeria |
79.61% | Africa | % |
| 161 | 🇱🇸Lesotho |
79.36% | Africa | % |
| 162 | 🇬🇹Guatemala |
79.07% | North America | % |
| 163 | 🇰🇭Cambodia |
78.35% | Asia | % |
| 164 | 🇰🇲Comoros |
78.14% | Africa | % |
| 165 | 🇰🇪Kenya |
78.02% | Africa | % |
| 166 | 🇨🇩Dr Congo |
77.22% | Africa | % |
| 167 | 🇬🇭Ghana |
76.58% | Africa | % |
| 168 | 🇪🇬Egypt |
75.84% | Africa | % |
| 169 | 🇨🇲Cameroon |
74.99% | Africa | % |
| 170 | 🇪🇷Eritrea |
73.85% | Africa | % |
| 171 | 🇺🇬Uganda |
73.81% | Africa | % |
| 172 | 🇮🇳India |
72.23% | Asia | % |
| 173 | 🇲🇦Morocco |
71.71% | Africa | % |
| 174 | 🇷🇼Rwanda |
71.24% | Africa | % |
| 175 | 🇦🇴Angola |
71.16% | Africa | % |
| 176 | 🇾🇪Yemen |
69.96% | Asia | % |
| 177 | 🇩🇯Djibouti |
67.9% | Africa | % |
| 178 | 🇹🇬Togo |
66.54% | Africa | % |
| 179 | 🇲🇼Malawi |
65.96% | Africa | % |
| 180 | 🇳🇵Nepal |
64.66% | Asia | % |
| 181 | 🇲🇬Madagascar |
64.66% | Africa | % |
| 182 | 🇧🇹Bhutan |
63.91% | Asia | % |
| 183 | 🇵🇬Papua New Guinea |
63.43% | Oceania | % |
| 184 | 🇧🇩Bangladesh |
61.49% | Asia | % |
| 185 | 🇭🇹Haiti |
60.69% | North America | % |
| 186 | 🇬🇼Guinea-Bissau |
59.77% | Africa | % |
| 187 | 🇳🇬Nigeria |
59.57% | Africa | % |
| 188 | 🇲🇿Mozambique |
58.84% | Africa | % |
| 189 | 🇸🇩Sudan |
58.6% | Africa | % |
| 190 | 🇵🇰Pakistan |
56.44% | Asia | % |
| 191 | 🇸🇳Senegal |
55.62% | Africa | % |
| 192 | 🇬🇲Gambia |
55.57% | Africa | % |
| 193 | 🇲🇷Mauritania |
52.12% | Africa | % |
| 194 | 🇼🇫Wallis & Futuna |
50% | Oceania | % |
| 195 | 🇪🇹Ethiopia |
49.03% | Africa | % |
| 196 | 🇸🇱Sierra Leone |
48.43% | Africa | % |
| 197 | 🇱🇷Liberia |
47.6% | Africa | % |
| 198 | 🇨🇮Ivory Coast |
43.27% | Africa | % |
| 199 | 🇹🇩Chad |
40.02% | Africa | % |
| 200 | 🇧🇯Benin |
38.45% | Africa | % |
| 201 | 🇦🇫Afghanistan |
38.17% | Asia | % |
| 202 | 🇸🇴Somalia |
37.8% | Africa | % |
| 203 | 🇧🇫Burkina Faso |
37.75% | Africa | % |
| 204 | 🇨🇫Central African Republic |
36.75% | Africa | % |
| 205 | 🇲🇱Mali |
33.07% | Africa | % |
| 206 | 🇸🇸South Sudan |
31.98% | Africa | % |
| 207 | 🇬🇳Guinea |
30.47% | Africa | % |
| 208 | 🇳🇪Niger |
30% | Africa | % |
About Literacy Rate by Country
Literacy Rate by Country (2026) measures the percentage of people who can read and write with understanding within each country. Literacy is one of the most important indicators of educational achievement, human development, and economic progress.
Literacy rates vary across countries due to differences in access to education, school enrollment, public investment, income levels, and social development. Countries with higher literacy rates generally benefit from stronger education systems and greater opportunities for economic and social advancement.
The rankings allow readers to compare literacy levels across nations, identify countries with the highest and lowest literacy rates, and better understand global education trends. The data is compiled from internationally recognized education and development organizations.
FAQ
What is the literacy rate?
The literacy rate is the percentage of people aged 15 and above who can read and write a simple statement with understanding in any language. It is one of the most important indicators of a country’s educational development.
Which country has the highest literacy rate?
According to the latest UNESCO data, Finland, Norway, Luxembourg, Andorra, Greenland, Liechtenstein, and Uzbekistan all have a literacy rate of 100%, placing them among the world’s highest-performing countries.
Which country has the lowest literacy rate?
Based on the latest available data, Niger has the world’s lowest literacy rate at 30%, followed by Guinea (30.47%), South Sudan (31.98%), and Mali (33.07%).
What is the literacy rate of Pakistan?
Pakistan’s literacy rate is 56.44%, according to the latest UNESCO data. This means that just over half of the country’s population aged 15 and above can read and write with understanding.
Why do literacy rates differ between countries?
Literacy rates vary due to differences in educational access, government investment, economic development, teacher availability, school enrollment, gender equality, and social conditions. Countries with strong education systems generally achieve higher literacy rates.
Why is literacy important?
Higher literacy rates are associated with stronger economic growth, better employment opportunities, improved healthcare outcomes, lower poverty levels, and greater social development. Literacy also helps individuals participate more effectively in their communities and the workforce.
How can countries improve literacy rates?
Countries can improve literacy by expanding access to quality education, investing in teacher training, reducing school dropout rates, supporting adult literacy programs, and promoting equal educational opportunities for girls and disadvantaged communities.
Which regions generally have the highest literacy rates?
Europe, North America, and several developed countries in East Asia have some of the world’s highest literacy rates, with many countries reporting rates above 99%.
What is considered a good literacy rate?
A literacy rate above 95% is generally considered very high and reflects a well-developed education system. Many advanced economies maintain literacy rates between 99% and 100%.
Where does the literacy rate data come from?
The literacy rate rankings on this page are based on the latest available data published by UNESCO, one of the world’s leading organizations for education statistics.
Which are the top 10 countries with the highest literacy rates?
The top 10 countries with the highest literacy rates are:
- Finland — 100%
- Norway — 100%
- Luxembourg — 100%
- Andorra — 100%
- Greenland — 100%
- Liechtenstein — 100%
- Uzbekistan — 100%
- Latvia — 99.89%
- Estonia — 99.82%
- Lithuania — 99.82%
Which are the 10 countries with the lowest literacy rates?
The 10 countries with the lowest literacy rates are:
- Chad — 40.02%
- Benin — 38.45%
- Afghanistan — 38.17%
- Somalia — 37.80%
- Burkina Faso — 37.75%
- Central African Republic — 36.75%
- Mali — 33.07%
- South Sudan — 31.98%
- Guinea — 30.47%
- Niger — 30.00%
Sources
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics
- UNICEF
- National Statistical and Education Agencies