Malaysia

Adult literacy in Malaysia

Adult literacy in Malaysia: 69.5% in 1980 and 95.8% in 2022, by UNESCO estimates.

Latest, 2022
95.8%
Since 1980
+26.3 percentage points
World, 2022
87.4%
Watch it change on the map

% of adults · UNESCO

Adult literacy in MalaysiaAdult literacy in Malaysia: 69.5% in 1980 and 95.8% in 2022, by UNESCO estimates. The world as a whole: 87.4% in 2022.
Estimates, UNESCOWorld

Every year

% of adults · UNESCO

YearMalaysiaWorld
2024–87.7
2023–87.6
202295.887.4
2021–87.2
2020–87
20199586.8
201894.986.8
201795.186.5
201694.986.3
2015–86
2014–85.6
2013–85.2
2012–84.9
2011–84.7
201093.184.4
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
200088.781.1
1999–80.9
1998–80.5
1997–79.3
1996–77.3
1995–76.9
1994–76.4
1993–76
1992–75.5
199182.975.1
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
1981–68.4
198069.567.8
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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