Literacy rate, adult female in Iraq

Iraq: Literacy rate, adult female was 77.8% in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
77.8%
Change on year
up 1.9%
World rank
56th
of 89 countries
All-time high
79.9%
in 2017
All-time low
64.2%
in 2000
Years of data
7
2000–2021

Literacy rate, adult female in Iraq, 2000–2021

0204060802000201020212000: 64.2 % of females ages 15 and above2012: 69 % of females ages 15 and above2014: 74.6 % of females ages 15 and above2016: 76.8 % of females ages 15 and above2017: 79.9 % of females ages 15 and above2018: 76.3 % of females ages 15 and above2021: 77.8 % of females ages 15 and above

Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of females ages 15 and above.

Analysis

In 2021, literacy rate, adult female in Iraq stood at 77.8%.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 12.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, adult female in Iraq peaked at 79.9% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 64.2%, in 2000.

Iraq ranks 56th of 89 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Literacy rate, adult female in Iraq, year by year

Annual values for Literacy rate, adult female (% of females ages 15 and above) in Iraq, 2000 to 2021.
Year % of females ages 15 and above Change
2000 64.2%
2012 69.0% +7.5%
2014 74.6% +8.1%
2016 76.8% +2.9%
2017 79.9% +4.0%
2018 76.3% -4.5%
2021 77.8% +1.9%

Iraq compared with similar countries

  • Iraq's 77.8% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 94.8%, 82% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
  • Iraq's 77.8% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 88.6%, 88% of the median. (16 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 64.2% 64.2% 64.2% 1
2010s 75.3% 69.0% 79.9% 5
2020s 77.8% 77.8% 77.8% 1

Countries ranked near Iraq

  1. 53 Sao Tome and Principe 82.8% compare
  2. 54 Tunisia 80.1% compare
  3. 55 Guatemala 78.5% compare
  4. 57 Rwanda 76.7% compare
  5. 58 Bangladesh 76.5% compare
  6. 59 Algeria 74.2% compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More gender data for Iraq

All data for Iraq →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate, adult female in Iraq?
Literacy rate, adult female in Iraq was 77.8% in 2021, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest literacy rate, adult female recorded in Iraq?
The highest recorded value was 79.9% in 2017.
What is the lowest literacy rate, adult female recorded in Iraq?
The lowest recorded value was 64.2% in 2000.
How does Iraq rank for literacy rate, adult female?
Iraq ranks 56th out of 89 countries with data for 2021.
Is literacy rate, adult female rising or falling in Iraq?
Over the last ten years it is up 12.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Iraq 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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Literacy rate, adult female in Iraq. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 19 September 2026, from https://gender.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-adult-female-percent-of-females-ages-15-and-above/iraq/

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About this data

Indicator
Literacy rate, adult female (% of females ages 15 and above)
Unit
% of females ages 15 and above
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
128 places, 2,600 data points, 1973–2024
Last refreshed

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.