Italy

Adult literacy in Italy

Adult literacy in Italy: 96.5% in 1981 and 99.4% in 2019, by UNESCO estimates.

Latest, 2019
99.4%
Since 1981
+2.9 percentage points
World, 2019
86.8%
Watch it change on the map

% of adults · UNESCO

Adult literacy in ItalyAdult literacy in Italy: 96.5% in 1981 and 99.4% in 2019, by UNESCO estimates. The world as a whole: 86.8% in 2019.
Estimates, UNESCOWorld

Every year

% of adults · UNESCO

YearItalyWorld
2024–87.7
2023–87.6
2022–87.4
2021–87.2
2020–87
201999.486.8
2018–86.8
2017–86.5
2016–86.3
2015–86
2014–85.6
2013–85.2
2012–84.9
201198.984.7
2010–84.4
2009–83.8
2008–83.5
2007–83.1
2006–82.5
2005–82.6
2004–82.6
2003–82.2
2002–81.7
200198.481.4
2000–81.1
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
1990–74.6
1989–74.1
1988–73.6
1987–71.9
1986–71.3
1985–70.7
1984–70.2
1983–69.5
1982–68.9
198196.568.4
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.

How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time

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