China

Adult literacy in China

Adult literacy in China: 65.5% in 1982 and 96.7% in 2020, by UNESCO estimates.

Latest, 2020
96.7%
Since 1982
+31.2 percentage points
World, 2020
87%
Watch it change on the map

% of adults · UNESCO

Adult literacy in ChinaAdult literacy in China: 65.5% in 1982 and 96.7% in 2020, by UNESCO estimates. The world as a whole: 87% in 2020.
Estimates, UNESCOWorld

Every year

% of adults · UNESCO

YearChinaWorld
2024–87.7
2023–87.6
2022–87.4
2021–87.2
202096.787
2019–86.8
2018–86.8
2017–86.5
2016–86.3
2015–86
2014–85.6
2013–85.2
2012–84.9
2011–84.7
201095.184.4
2009–83.8
2008–83.5
2007–83.1
2006–82.5
2005–82.6
2004–82.6
2003–82.2
2002–81.7
2001–81.4
200090.981.1
1999–80.9
1998–80.5
1997–79.3
1996–77.3
1995–76.9
1994–76.4
1993–76
1992–75.5
1991–75.1
199077.874.6
1989–74.1
1988–73.6
1987–71.9
1986–71.3
1985–70.7
1984–70.2
1983–69.5
198265.568.9
1981–68.4
1980–67.8
1979–67.2
1978–66.5
1977–65.9
1976–65.6
1975–65.4

Good to know

  • The share of people aged 15 and over who can read and write a short, simple statement about their everyday life.
  • Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics, via the World Bank.
  • The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.

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