Singapore

Adult literacy in Singapore

Adult literacy in Singapore: 82.9% in 1980 and 97.7% in 2021, by UNESCO estimates.

Latest, 2021
97.7%
Since 1980
+14.7 percentage points
World, 2021
87.2%
Watch it change on the map

% of adults · UNESCO

Adult literacy in SingaporeAdult literacy in Singapore: 82.9% in 1980 and 97.7% in 2021, by UNESCO estimates. The world as a whole: 87.2% in 2021.
Estimates, UNESCOWorld

Every year

% of adults · UNESCO

YearSingaporeWorld
2024–87.7
2023–87.6
2022–87.4
202197.787.2
202097.187
201997.586.8
201897.386.8
201797.286.5
201697.186.3
201596.886
201496.785.6
201396.685.2
201296.484.9
201196.284.7
201095.984.4
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
200092.681.1
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
199089.174.6
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
198082.967.8
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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