South Africa: Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above)
In , South Africa's Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) was 91.15.
That's up 1.3% from 2021, the highest value since .
The global average for this indicator in 2024 was 89.47 . South Africa ranks #19 globally out of 29 reporting countries. Within Sub-Saharan Africa, it ranks #1 of 7.
Source: World Bank Open Data (SE.ADT.LITR.ZS) • Data as of 2024
Trend (2007–2024)
Highlights
- Peak
- 95.02
- Trough
- 88.72
- 5-year change
- -4.1%
- -0.8% / yr
- 10-year change
- -3.2%
- -0.3% / yr
Historical Data — Last 10 Years
| Year | Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) |
|---|---|
| 91.1500 | |
| 90.0000 | |
| 95.0200 | |
| 91.7400 | |
| 94.3700 | |
| 94.1400 | |
| 93.7300 | |
| 93.1000 | |
| 92.8800 | |
| 92.8900 |
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.ZS • Category: Education
Frequently asked questions
- What was South Africa's Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) in 2024?
- In 2024, South Africa's Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) was 91.15, according to World Bank Open Data.
- Is South Africa's Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) rising or falling?
- South Africa's Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) rose 1.3% from 2021 to 2024.
- How does South Africa rank globally on Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above)?
- In 2024, South Africa ranked #19 out of 29 countries reporting Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above).
- How does South Africa'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 2024 was 89.47, so South Africa is above the world average. Within Sub-Saharan Africa, it ranks #1 of 7.
- 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.
Source: World Bank Open Data (SE.ADT.LITR.ZS), CC BY 4.0.