Adult Literacy Rate in China

China: Adult Literacy Rate was 96.74 in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
96.74
World rank
30th
of 110 countries
All-time high
96.74
in 2020
All-time low
65.51
in 1982
Years of data
5
1982–2020

Adult Literacy Rate in China, 1982–2020

0204060801001982200120201982: 65.51990: 77.82000: 90.92010: 95.12020: 96.7

Source: International Monetary Fund.

Analysis

The most recent figure for adult literacy rate in China is 96.74, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.

That represents a change of up 1.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, adult literacy rate in China peaked at 96.74 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 65.51, in 1982.

China ranks 30th of 110 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 65.51 65.51 65.51 1
1990s 77.79 77.79 77.79 1
2000s 90.92 90.92 90.92 1
2010s 95.12 95.12 95.12 1
2020s 96.74 96.74 96.74 1

Countries ranked near China

  1. 27 Türkiye 97.26 compare
  2. 28 Chile 97.16 compare
  3. 29 Macau, China 97.11 compare
  4. 31 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 96.73 compare
  5. 32 Kuwait 96.46 compare
  6. 33 Panama 96.23 compare

See the full ranking of 110 places →

More gender data for China

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is adult literacy rate in China?
Adult literacy rate in China was 96.74 in 2020, according to International Monetary Fund.
What is the highest adult literacy rate recorded in China?
The highest recorded value was 96.74 in 2020.
What is the lowest adult literacy rate recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 65.51 in 1982.
How does China rank for adult literacy rate?
China ranks 30th out of 110 countries with data for 2020.
Is adult literacy rate rising or falling in China?
Over the last ten years it is up 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this China data come from?
The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Adult Literacy Rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Adult Literacy Rate in China. Statizoid, drawing on International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 20 August 2026, from https://gender.statizoid.com/stat/adult-literacy-rate/china/

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About this data

Indicator
Adult Literacy Rate
Source
International Monetary Fund
Licence
IMF Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
110 places, 1,086 data points, 1975–2024
Last refreshed

Gender-disaggregated data on educational outcomes.