Afghanistan—Male Literacy Rate (%)
Afghanistan's male literacy rate (%) was 52.1% in 2021, ranking #80 out of 82 countries. This represents a +3.4% change from 2020. Over the past 4 years, the highest recorded value was 52.1% (2021) and the lowest was 45.4% (2011). Data sourced from the World Bank World Development Indicators.
Historical Data
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 52.1% | +3.4% |
| 2020 | 50.4% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 50.2% | +10.5% |
| 2011 | 45.4% |
Top Countries — Male Literacy Rate (%)
| # | Country | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uzbekistan | 100.0% | 2022 |
| 2 | Tuvalu | 100.0% | 2022 |
| 3 | Russian Federation | 99.9% | 2021 |
| 4 | Turkmenistan | 99.9% | 2022 |
| 5 | San Marino | 99.9% | 2022 |
| 6 | Azerbaijan | 99.8% | 2023 |
| 7 | Spain | 99.8% | 2021 |
| 8 | Armenia | 99.8% | 2023 |
| 9 | Georgia | 99.8% | 2024 |
| 10 | Serbia | 99.6% | 2022 |
About This Indicator
Definition
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.
Methodology
Data compiled by Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources, note: The data are obtained through the UIS API. Detailed documentation is available at: https://api.uis.unesco.org/api/public/documentation/, publisher: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), type: Excel (bulk file), date accessed: 2025-09-22, date published: 2025-09.