Literacy rate, adult female in Malawi
Malawi: Literacy rate, adult female was 62.7% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, adult female in Malawi, 1987–2020
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of females ages 15 and above.
Analysis
In 2020, literacy rate, adult female in Malawi stood at 62.7%.
That represents a change of down 11.8% on the previous year and down 4.7% over five years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, adult female in Malawi peaked at 71.1% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 33.5%, in 1987.
Malawi ranks 72nd of 89 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Literacy rate, adult female in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % of females ages 15 and above | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 33.5% | — |
| 1998 | 54.0% | +61.1% |
| 2017 | 65.8% | +21.8% |
| 2018 | 71.1% | +8.1% |
| 2020 | 62.7% | -11.8% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 62.7% is above the median for low income countries, which is 50.0%, 1.3× the median. (13 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 62.7% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 63.2%, 99% of the median. (28 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 33.5% | 33.5% | 33.5% | 1 |
| 1990s | 54.0% | 54.0% | 54.0% | 1 |
| 2010s | 68.4% | 65.8% | 71.1% | 2 |
| 2020s | 62.7% | 62.7% | 62.7% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More gender data for Malawi
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 9,494 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.4 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 15,667 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 15,667 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 3.13 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 330,369 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 332,767 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 322,764 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 324,764 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 316,113 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, adult female in Malawi?
- Literacy rate, adult female in Malawi was 62.7% in 2020, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest literacy rate, adult female recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 71.1% in 2018.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, adult female recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.5% in 1987.
- How does Malawi rank for literacy rate, adult female?
- Malawi ranks 72nd out of 89 countries with data for 2020.
- Where does this Malawi 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.