Zambia

Adult literacy in Zambia

Adult literacy in Zambia: 65% in 1990 and 71.8% in 2024, by UNESCO estimates.

Latest, 2024
71.8%
Since 1990
+6.8 percentage points
World, 2024
87.7%
Watch it change on the map

% of adults · UNESCO

Adult literacy in ZambiaAdult literacy in Zambia: 65% in 1990 and 71.8% in 2024, by UNESCO estimates. The highest was 83.1% in 2010, the lowest 65% in 1990.
Estimates, UNESCOWorld

What the numbers say

  • The highest was 83.1% in 2010, the lowest 65% in 1990.

Every year

% of adults · UNESCO

YearZambiaWorld
202471.887.7
2023–87.6
20228087.4
20218087.2
202081.887
2019–86.8
201871.186.8
2017–86.5
2016–86.3
2015–86
2014–85.6
2013–85.2
2012–84.9
2011–84.7
201083.184.4
2009–83.8
2008–83.5
2007–83.1
2006–82.5
2005–82.6
2004–82.6
2003–82.2
200269.281.7
2001–81.4
2000–81.1
19996880.9
1998–80.5
1997–79.3
1996–77.3
1995–76.9
1994–76.4
1993–76
1992–75.5
1991–75.1
19906574.6
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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