Literacy rate in Iran in 2023 — 88.92%. Ranked 21 in the world out of 33. Since 1976, the indicator has risen by 52.4 pp.
1976–2023 · % of population aged 15+
How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Iran
| Year | % | Change, pp |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 88.92 | +0.32 pp |
| 2022 | 88.59 | +0.14 pp |
| 2021 | 88.46 | +0.55 pp |
| 2020 | 87.9 | +0.52 pp |
| 2019 | 87.38 | +0.51 pp |
| 2018 | 86.87 | +0.92 pp |
| 2017 | 85.95 | +0.41 pp |
| 2016 | 85.54 | +0.26 pp |
| 2015 | 85.28 | +0.57 pp |
| 2014 | 84.71 | +0.08 pp |
| 2013 | 84.63 | +1 pp |
| 2012 | 83.63 | +0.11 pp |
| 2011 | 83.52 | −0.14 pp |
| 2010 | 83.66 | +0.44 pp |
| 2009 | 83.22 | +0.26 pp |
| 2008 | 82.96 | — |
| 2006 | 82.33 | −0.11 pp |
| 2005 | 82.44 | — |
| 2002 | 77 | — |
| 1996 | 73.06 | — |
| 1991 | 65.53 | — |
| 1986 | 52.32 | — |
| 1976 | 36.52 | — |
The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages
The share of the population aged 15 and older able to read and write a short simple statement about their everyday life. The UNESCO definition is deliberately minimal — it is the threshold of functional literacy, not an assessment of the quality of education. In most countries the data come from censuses and surveys, so they are updated irregularly.
Important: The series is incomplete: values are published only for the years in which a census or a literacy survey was conducted.
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), license CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO.
What share of their potential a child born today will manage to realize.
Education Population with tertiary educationWhat share of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Education Primary completion rateWhat share of children reach the last grade of primary school.
Education Primary school enrollmentThe net enrollment rate: the share of children of school age attending primary school.
