Literacy rate in Middle East & North Africa in 2024 — 75.59%. Since 1973, the indicator has risen by 37 pp.
1973–2024 · % of population aged 15+
How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Middle East & North Africa
| Year | % | Change, pp |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 75.59 | +0.52 pp |
| 2023 | 75.07 | +0.55 pp |
| 2022 | 74.52 | +0.6 pp |
| 2021 | 73.92 | +0.47 pp |
| 2020 | 73.45 | +0.55 pp |
| 2019 | 72.9 | +0.24 pp |
| 2018 | 72.66 | −0.06 pp |
| 2017 | 72.72 | +0.37 pp |
| 2016 | 72.35 | −0.4 pp |
| 2015 | 72.75 | +0.82 pp |
| 2014 | 71.93 | +0.38 pp |
| 2013 | 71.55 | +0.29 pp |
| 2012 | 71.26 | +1.05 pp |
| 2011 | 70.21 | +0.17 pp |
| 2010 | 70.04 | +0.47 pp |
| 2009 | 69.57 | +0.98 pp |
| 2008 | 68.59 | +1.54 pp |
| 2007 | 67.05 | +0.78 pp |
| 2006 | 66.27 | −0.42 pp |
| 2005 | 66.69 | +0.72 pp |
| 2004 | 65.97 | +0.84 pp |
| 2003 | 65.13 | +2.27 pp |
| 2002 | 62.86 | +0.98 pp |
| 2001 | 61.88 | +1.05 pp |
| 2000 | 60.83 | +0.89 pp |
| 1999 | 59.94 | +0.94 pp |
| 1998 | 59 | +0.97 pp |
| 1997 | 58.03 | +0.9 pp |
| 1996 | 57.13 | +0.91 pp |
| 1995 | 56.22 | +1.1 pp |
| 1994 | 55.12 | +0.69 pp |
| 1993 | 54.43 | +1.36 pp |
| 1992 | 53.07 | +1.56 pp |
| 1991 | 51.51 | +0.8 pp |
| 1990 | 50.71 | +1.76 pp |
| 1989 | 48.95 | +0.89 pp |
| 1988 | 48.06 | +0.89 pp |
| 1987 | 47.17 | +0.79 pp |
| 1986 | 46.38 | +0.78 pp |
| 1985 | 45.6 | +0.77 pp |
| 1984 | 44.83 | +0.78 pp |
| 1983 | 44.05 | +0.62 pp |
| 1982 | 43.43 | +0.81 pp |
| 1981 | 42.62 | +0.61 pp |
| 1980 | 42.01 | +0.63 pp |
| 1979 | 41.38 | +0.62 pp |
| 1978 | 40.76 | +0.61 pp |
| 1977 | 40.15 | +0.55 pp |
| 1976 | 39.6 | +0.36 pp |
| 1975 | 39.24 | +0.35 pp |
| 1974 | 38.89 | +0.3 pp |
| 1973 | 38.59 | — |
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 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.