Adult Literacy Rate in Iran
Iran: Adult Literacy Rate was 88.92 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Adult Literacy Rate in Iran, 1976–2023
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
Iran recorded 88.92 for adult literacy rate in 2023. That is the highest value across all 23 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 5.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult literacy rate in Iran peaked at 88.92 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 36.52, in 1976.
Iran ranks 60th of 110 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.
Adult Literacy Rate in Iran, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 36.52 | — |
| 1986 | 52.32 | +43.3% |
| 1991 | 65.53 | +25.2% |
| 1996 | 73.06 | +11.5% |
| 2002 | 77 | +5.4% |
| 2005 | 82.44 | +7.1% |
| 2006 | 82.33 | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 82.96 | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 83.22 | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 83.66 | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 83.52 | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 83.63 | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 84.63 | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 84.71 | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 85.28 | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 85.54 | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 85.95 | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 86.87 | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 87.38 | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 87.9 | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 88.46 | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 88.59 | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 88.92 | +0.4% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 88.92 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 95.44, 93% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Iran's 88.92 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 94.42, 94% of the median. (17 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Adult Literacy Rate in Iran changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | +43.3% | 36.52 | 52.32 |
| 1991 | +25.2% | 52.32 | 65.53 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 36.52 | 36.52 | 36.52 | 1 |
| 1980s | 52.32 | 52.32 | 52.32 | 1 |
| 1990s | 69.3 | 65.53 | 73.06 | 2 |
| 2000s | 81.59 | 77 | 83.22 | 5 |
| 2010s | 85.12 | 83.52 | 87.38 | 10 |
| 2020s | 88.47 | 87.9 | 88.92 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More gender data for Iran
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 18,410 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -2.73 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 77,077 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 77,077 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 1.34 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 552,656 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 580,401 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 565,065 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 593,686 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 576,359 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult literacy rate in Iran?
- Adult literacy rate in Iran was 88.92 in 2023, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest adult literacy rate recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 88.92 in 2023.
- What is the lowest adult literacy rate recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.52 in 1976.
- How does Iran rank for adult literacy rate?
- Iran ranks 60th out of 110 countries with data for 2023.
- Is adult literacy rate rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iran 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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About this data
Gender-disaggregated data on educational outcomes.