Literacy rate in Pakistan in 2021 — 58.86%. Ranked 38 in the world out of 44. Since 1981, the indicator has risen by 33.13 pp.
1981–2021 · % of population aged 15+
How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Pakistan
| Year | % | Change, pp |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 58.86 | — |
| 2019 | 58 | +0.99 pp |
| 2018 | 57.01 | −2.12 pp |
| 2017 | 59.13 | — |
| 2014 | 56.98 | +1.39 pp |
| 2013 | 55.59 | −1.17 pp |
| 2012 | 56.76 | +2.02 pp |
| 2011 | 54.74 | −0.64 pp |
| 2010 | 55.38 | +0.49 pp |
| 2009 | 54.89 | −0.64 pp |
| 2008 | 55.53 | +3.39 pp |
| 2007 | 52.14 | −2.01 pp |
| 2006 | 54.15 | +4.28 pp |
| 2005 | 49.87 | — |
| 1998 | 42.7 | — |
| 1981 | 25.73 | — |
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.
