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Afghanistan: Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above)

In , Afghanistan's Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) was 37.27.

That's up 3.5% from 2020, the highest value on record.

The global average for this indicator in 2021 was 89.47 .

Source: World Bank Open Data (SE.ADT.LITR.ZS) • Data as of 2021

Trend (2011–2021)

Afghanistan Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) trend

Highlights

Peak
37.27
Trough
31.45
1-year change
+3.5%
10-year change
+18.5%
+1.7% / yr

Historical Data — Last 10 Years

Year Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above)
37.2700
36.0150
33.7500
31.4500

About Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above)

Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.

Indicator code: SE.ADT.LITR.ZSCategory: Education

Frequently asked questions

What was Afghanistan's Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) in 2021?
In 2021, Afghanistan's Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) was 37.27, according to World Bank Open Data.
Is Afghanistan's Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) rising or falling?
Afghanistan's Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) rose 3.5% from 2020 to 2021.
How does Afghanistan's Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) compare to the world average?
The global average for Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) in 2021 was 89.47, so Afghanistan is below the world average.
What is Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) and how is it measured?
Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.
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Source: World Bank Open Data (SE.ADT.LITR.ZS), CC BY 4.0.