Literacy rate, adult female in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Literacy rate, adult female was 26.6% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, adult female in Afghanistan, 1979–2022
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of females ages 15 and above.
Analysis
In 2022, literacy rate, adult female in Afghanistan stood at 26.6%. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 17.7% on the previous year and up 56.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, adult female in Afghanistan peaked at 26.6% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 5.0%, in 1979.
Afghanistan ranks 87th of 89 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Literacy rate, adult female in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % of females ages 15 and above | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 5.0% | — |
| 2011 | 17.0% | +241.1% |
| 2015 | 17.1% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 21.7% | +26.8% |
| 2021 | 22.6% | +4.3% |
| 2022 | 26.6% | +17.7% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 26.6% is below the median for low income countries, which is 50.0%, 53% of the median. (13 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 26.6% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 88.6%, 30% of the median. (16 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 1 |
| 2010s | 17.1% | 17.0% | 17.1% | 2 |
| 2020s | 23.6% | 21.7% | 26.6% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More gender data for Afghanistan
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 20,358 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.64 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 29,681 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 29,681 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 3.43 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 707,563 people (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 739,025 people (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 690,872 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 720,642 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 674,248 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, adult female in Afghanistan?
- Literacy rate, adult female in Afghanistan was 26.6% in 2022, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest literacy rate, adult female recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 26.6% in 2022.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, adult female recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.0% in 1979.
- How does Afghanistan rank for literacy rate, adult female?
- Afghanistan ranks 87th out of 89 countries with data for 2022.
- Is literacy rate, adult female rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 56.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Literacy rate, adult female (% of females ages 15 and above). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.