Malawi

Adult literacy in Malawi

Adult literacy in Malawi: 48.5% in 1987 and 70.2% in 2020, by UNESCO estimates.

Latest, 2020
70.2%
Since 1987
+21.6 percentage points
World, 2020
87%
Watch it change on the map

% of adults · UNESCO

Adult literacy in MalawiAdult literacy in Malawi: 48.5% in 1987 and 70.2% in 2020, by UNESCO estimates. The highest was 76.7% in 2018, the lowest 48.5% in 1987.
Estimates, UNESCOWorld

What the numbers say

  • The highest was 76.7% in 2018, the lowest 48.5% in 1987.

Every year

% of adults · UNESCO

YearMalawiWorld
2024–87.7
2023–87.6
2022–87.4
2021–87.2
202070.287
2019–86.8
201876.786.8
201772.886.5
2016–86.3
2015–86
2014–85.6
2013–85.2
2012–84.9
2011–84.7
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
2001–81.4
2000–81.1
1999–80.9
199864.180.5
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
198748.571.9
1986–71.3
1985–70.7
1984–70.2
1983–69.5
1982–68.9
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.

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

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