Zambia—Male Literacy Rate (%)
Zambia's male literacy rate (%) was 87.2% in 2023, ranking #55 out of 82 countries. This represents a +1.1% change from 2022. Over the past 8 years, the highest recorded value was 88.7% (2010) and the lowest was 80.9% (2002). Data sourced from the World Bank World Development Indicators.
Historical Data
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 87.2% | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 86.3% | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 85.9% | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 87.5% | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 86.5% | +5.9% |
| 2018 | 81.7% | -7.8% |
| 2010 | 88.7% | +9.6% |
| 2002 | 80.9% |
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.