Literacy rate, adult female in Namibia
Namibia: Literacy rate, adult female was 87.4% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, adult female in Namibia, 1991–2023
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of females ages 15 and above.
Analysis
Namibia recorded 87.4% for literacy rate, adult female in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, adult female in Namibia peaked at 88.0% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 74.0%, in 1991.
That places Namibia 50th out of 89 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
Literacy rate, adult female in Namibia, year by year
| Year | % of females ages 15 and above | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 74.0% | — |
| 2001 | 83.5% | +12.9% |
| 2011 | 88.0% | +5.3% |
| 2016 | 87.2% | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 87.8% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 87.4% | -0.5% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 87.4% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 71.4%, 1.2× the median. (30 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 87.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 63.2%, 1.4× the median. (28 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 74.0% | 74.0% | 74.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 83.5% | 83.5% | 83.5% | 1 |
| 2010s | 87.7% | 87.2% | 88.0% | 3 |
| 2020s | 87.4% | 87.4% | 87.4% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
- 47 Peru 90.7% compare
- 48 Honduras 88.8% compare
- 49 El Salvador 88.2% compare
- 51 Iran 85.1% compare
- 52 Cape Verde 84.1% compare
- 53 Sao Tome and Principe 82.8% compare
More gender data for Namibia
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 1,172 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.3037 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 2,218 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 2,218 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 2.57 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 38,320 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 38,517 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 37,694 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 37,867 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 38,396 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, adult female in Namibia?
- Literacy rate, adult female in Namibia was 87.4% in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest literacy rate, adult female recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 88.0% in 2011.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, adult female recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 74.0% in 1991.
- How does Namibia rank for literacy rate, adult female?
- Namibia ranks 50th out of 89 countries with data for 2023.
- Is literacy rate, adult female rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Namibia 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.