Saudi Arabia

Adult literacy in Saudi Arabia

Adult literacy in Saudi Arabia: 70.8% in 1992 and 97.9% in 2024, by UNESCO estimates.

Latest, 2024
97.9%
Since 1992
+27.1 percentage points
World, 2024
87.7%
Watch it change on the map

% of adults · UNESCO

Adult literacy in Saudi ArabiaAdult literacy in Saudi Arabia: 70.8% in 1992 and 97.9% in 2024, by UNESCO estimates. The world as a whole: 87.7% in 2024.
Estimates, UNESCOWorld

Every year

% of adults · UNESCO

YearSaudi ArabiaWorld
202497.987.7
2023–87.6
2022–87.4
2021–87.2
202097.687
2019–86.8
2018–86.8
201795.386.5
2016–86.3
2015–86
2014–85.6
201394.485.2
2012–84.9
2011–84.7
2010–84.4
2009–83.8
2008–83.5
2007–83.1
2006–82.5
2005–82.6
200482.982.6
2003–82.2
2002–81.7
2001–81.4
200079.481.1
1999–80.9
1998–80.5
1997–79.3
1996–77.3
1995–76.9
1994–76.4
1993–76
199270.875.5
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
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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