Literacy rate, adult female in Laos

Laos: Literacy rate, adult female was 66.7% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
66.7%
World rank
65th
of 89 countries
All-time high
79.4%
in 2015
All-time low
47.9%
in 1995
Years of data
7
1995–2023

Literacy rate, adult female in Laos, 1995–2023

0204060801995200920231995: 47.9 % of females ages 15 and above2000: 58.5 % of females ages 15 and above2001: 60.9 % of females ages 15 and above2005: 63.2 % of females ages 15 and above2015: 79.4 % of females ages 15 and above2017: 64.4 % of females ages 15 and above2023: 66.7 % 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 2023, literacy rate, adult female in Laos stood at 66.7%.

That represents a change of down 15.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, adult female in Laos peaked at 79.4% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 47.9%, in 1995.

Laos ranks 65th of 89 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Literacy rate, adult female in Laos, year by year

Annual values for Literacy rate, adult female (% of females ages 15 and above) in Laos, 1995 to 2023.
Year % of females ages 15 and above Change
1995 47.9%
2000 58.5% +22.0%
2001 60.9% +4.2%
2005 63.2% +3.8%
2015 79.4% +25.6%
2017 64.4% -18.9%
2023 66.7% +3.6%

Laos compared with similar countries

  • Laos's 66.7% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 71.4%, 93% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
  • Laos's 66.7% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 95.0%, 70% of the median. (15 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 47.9% 47.9% 47.9% 1
2000s 60.9% 58.5% 63.2% 3
2010s 71.9% 64.4% 79.4% 2
2020s 66.7% 66.7% 66.7% 1

Countries ranked near Laos

  1. 62 Tanzania 73.1% compare
  2. 63 Ghana 72.1% compare
  3. 64 India 70.7% compare
  4. 66 Cameroon 66.2% compare
  5. 67 Burundi 66.1% compare
  6. 68 East Timor 65.7% compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More gender data for Laos

All data for Laos →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate, adult female in Laos?
Literacy rate, adult female in Laos was 66.7% in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest literacy rate, adult female recorded in Laos?
The highest recorded value was 79.4% in 2015.
What is the lowest literacy rate, adult female recorded in Laos?
The lowest recorded value was 47.9% in 1995.
How does Laos rank for literacy rate, adult female?
Laos ranks 65th out of 89 countries with data for 2023.
Is literacy rate, adult female rising or falling in Laos?
Over the last ten years it is down 15.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Laos 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 Laos. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 18 September 2026, from https://gender.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-adult-female-percent-of-females-ages-15-and-above/lao-pdr/

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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.