Adult Literacy Rate in Pakistan
Pakistan: Adult Literacy Rate was 58.86 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Adult Literacy Rate in Pakistan, 1981–2021
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
Pakistan recorded 58.86 for adult literacy rate in 2021.
The figure is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 7.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult literacy rate in Pakistan peaked at 59.13 in 2017 and was at its lowest, 25.73, in 1981.
That places Pakistan 98th out of 110 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 16 years of available data.
Adult Literacy Rate in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 25.73 | — |
| 1998 | 42.7 | +66.0% |
| 2005 | 49.87 | +16.8% |
| 2006 | 54.15 | +8.6% |
| 2007 | 52.14 | -3.7% |
| 2008 | 55.53 | +6.5% |
| 2009 | 54.89 | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 55.38 | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 54.74 | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 56.76 | +3.7% |
| 2013 | 55.59 | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 56.98 | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 59.13 | +3.8% |
| 2018 | 57.01 | -3.6% |
| 2019 | 58 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 58.86 | +1.5% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 58.86 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 78.21, 75% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 58.86 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 94.42, 62% of the median. (17 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Adult Literacy Rate in Pakistan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | +66.0% | 25.73 | 42.7 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 25.73 | 25.73 | 25.73 | 1 |
| 1990s | 42.7 | 42.7 | 42.7 | 1 |
| 2000s | 53.32 | 49.87 | 55.53 | 5 |
| 2010s | 56.7 | 54.74 | 59.13 | 8 |
| 2020s | 58.86 | 58.86 | 58.86 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
More gender data for Pakistan
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 94,592 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.6113 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 182,291 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 182,291 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 2.23 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 3.22 million (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 3.37 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 3.17 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 3.31 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 3.14 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult literacy rate in Pakistan?
- Adult literacy rate in Pakistan was 58.86 in 2021, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest adult literacy rate recorded in Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 59.13 in 2017.
- What is the lowest adult literacy rate recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.73 in 1981.
- How does Pakistan rank for adult literacy rate?
- Pakistan ranks 98th out of 110 countries with data for 2021.
- Is adult literacy rate rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Pakistan 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.