Adult Literacy Rate in Zambia
Zambia: Adult Literacy Rate was 71.77 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
71.77
Change on year
down 12.5%
World rank
85th
of 110 countries
All-time high
83.14
in 2010
All-time low
61.13
in 2007
Years of data
11
1990–2024
Adult Literacy Rate in Zambia, 1990–2024
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 71.77 for adult literacy rate in 2024.
That represents a change of down 12.5% on the previous year and down 13.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult literacy rate in Zambia peaked at 83.14 in 2010 and was at its lowest, 61.13, in 2007.
Zambia ranks 85th of 110 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.
Adult Literacy Rate in Zambia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 65 | — |
| 1999 | 68 | +4.6% |
| 2002 | 69.15 | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 61.13 | -11.6% |
| 2010 | 83.14 | +36.0% |
| 2018 | 71.13 | -14.4% |
| 2020 | 81.75 | +14.9% |
| 2021 | 79.95 | -2.2% |
| 2022 | 79.98 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 82.04 | +2.6% |
| 2024 | 71.77 | -12.5% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 71.77 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 78.21, 92% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 71.77 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 69.45, 1.0× the median. (38 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 66.5 | 65 | 68 | 2 |
| 2000s | 65.14 | 61.13 | 69.15 | 2 |
| 2010s | 77.13 | 71.13 | 83.14 | 2 |
| 2020s | 79.1 | 71.77 | 82.04 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More gender data for Zambia
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 9,719 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.61 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 15,306 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 15,306 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 3.24 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 340,219 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 341,639 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 331,557 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 332,331 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 324,712 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult literacy rate in Zambia?
- Adult literacy rate in Zambia was 71.77 in 2024, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest adult literacy rate recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 83.14 in 2010.
- What is the lowest adult literacy rate recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 61.13 in 2007.
- How does Zambia rank for adult literacy rate?
- Zambia ranks 85th out of 110 countries with data for 2024.
- Is adult literacy rate rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 11 observations, free to reuse under IMF Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
About this data
Gender-disaggregated data on educational outcomes.