Tanzania

Adult literacy in Tanzania

Adult literacy in Tanzania: 59.1% in 1988 and 78.2% in 2022, by UNESCO estimates.

Latest, 2022
78.2%
Since 1988
+19.1 percentage points
World, 2022
87.4%
Watch it change on the map

% of adults · UNESCO

Adult literacy in TanzaniaAdult literacy in Tanzania: 59.1% in 1988 and 78.2% in 2022, by UNESCO estimates. The highest was 82.2% in 2020, the lowest 59.1% in 1988.
Estimates, UNESCOWorld

What the numbers say

  • The highest was 82.2% in 2020, the lowest 59.1% in 1988.

Every year

% of adults · UNESCO

YearTanzaniaWorld
2024–87.7
2023–87.6
202278.287.4
2021–87.2
202082.287
2019–86.8
2018–86.8
2017–86.5
2016–86.3
201577.986
201479.985.6
2013–85.2
201278.184.9
2011–84.7
2010–84.4
2009–83.8
2008–83.5
2007–83.1
2006–82.5
2005–82.6
2004–82.6
2003–82.2
200269.481.7
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
1989–74.1
198859.173.6
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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