Russia

Adult literacy in Russia

Adult literacy in Russia: 98% in 1989 and 99.9% in 2021, by UNESCO estimates.

Latest, 2021
99.9%
Since 1989
+1.9 percentage points
World, 2021
87.2%
Watch it change on the map

% of adults · UNESCO

Adult literacy in RussiaAdult literacy in Russia: 98% in 1989 and 99.9% in 2021, by UNESCO estimates. The world as a whole: 87.2% in 2021.
Estimates, UNESCOWorld

Every year

% of adults · UNESCO

YearRussiaWorld
2024–87.7
2023–87.6
2022–87.4
202199.987.2
2020–87
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
201099.784.4
2009–83.8
2008–83.5
2007–83.1
2006–82.5
2005–82.6
2004–82.6
2003–82.2
200299.481.7
2001–81.4
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
19899874.1
1988–73.6
1987–71.9
1986–71.3
1985–70.7
1984–70.2
1983–69.5
1982–68.9
1981–68.4
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

Russia in numbers

Every measure for Russia on one page

Health

People

Economy

Education

Politics

Conflict

Military

Climate

Technology and environment