Sierra Leone

Adult literacy in Sierra Leone

Adult literacy in Sierra Leone: 34.8% in 2004 and 43.6% in 2019, by UNESCO estimates.

Latest, 2019
43.6%
Since 2004
+8.8 percentage points
World, 2019
86.8%
Watch it change on the map

% of adults · UNESCO

Adult literacy in Sierra LeoneAdult literacy in Sierra Leone: 34.8% in 2004 and 43.6% in 2019, by UNESCO estimates. The highest was 49.4% in 2015, the lowest 34.8% in 2004.
Estimates, UNESCOWorld

What the numbers say

  • The highest was 49.4% in 2015, the lowest 34.8% in 2004.

Every year

% of adults · UNESCO

YearSierra LeoneWorld
2024–87.7
2023–87.6
2022–87.4
2021–87.2
2020–87
201943.686.8
201848.886.8
201744.886.5
2016–86.3
201549.486
201444.485.6
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
200434.882.6
2003–82.2
2002–81.7
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
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.

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

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