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

In , Malawi's Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) was 70.15.

That's down 8.6% from 2018, the highest value since .

The global average for this indicator in 2020 was 89.47 .

Source: World Bank Open Data (SE.ADT.LITR.ZS) • Data as of 2020

Trend (2017–2020)

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

Highlights

Peak
76.72
Trough
70.15

Historical Data — Last 10 Years

Year Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above)
70.1500
76.7200
72.8267

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 Malawi's Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) in 2020?
In 2020, Malawi's Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) was 70.15, according to World Bank Open Data.
Is Malawi's Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) rising or falling?
Malawi's Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) fell 8.6% from 2018 to 2020.
How does Malawi'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 2020 was 89.47, so Malawi 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.