Literacy rate, adult female in Nepal
Nepal: Literacy rate, adult female was 59.4% in 2019. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, adult female in Nepal, 1981–2019
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of females ages 15 and above.
Analysis
The most recent figure for literacy rate, adult female in Nepal is 59.4%, measured in 2019. That is the highest value across all 8 years on record.
That represents a change of up 4.0% on the previous year and up 37.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, adult female in Nepal peaked at 59.4% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 9.2%, in 1981.
That places Nepal 74th out of 89 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Literacy rate, adult female in Nepal, year by year
| Year | % of females ages 15 and above | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 9.2% | — |
| 1991 | 17.4% | +89.9% |
| 2001 | 34.9% | +100.7% |
| 2008 | 43.3% | +24.2% |
| 2011 | 48.8% | +12.7% |
| 2016 | 55.8% | +14.1% |
| 2017 | 57.1% | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 59.4% | +4.0% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 59.4% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 71.4%, 83% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
- Nepal's 59.4% is below the median for South Asia, which is 76.5%, 78% of the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 9.2% | 9.2% | 9.2% | 1 |
| 1990s | 17.4% | 17.4% | 17.4% | 1 |
| 2000s | 39.1% | 34.9% | 43.3% | 2 |
| 2010s | 55.3% | 48.8% | 59.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
More gender data for Nepal
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 7,927 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.7039 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 22,583 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 22,583 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 1.5 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 264,089 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 273,367 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 265,882 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 274,092 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 268,570 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, adult female in Nepal?
- Literacy rate, adult female in Nepal was 59.4% in 2019, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest literacy rate, adult female recorded in Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 59.4% in 2019.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, adult female recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.2% in 1981.
- How does Nepal rank for literacy rate, adult female?
- Nepal ranks 74th out of 89 countries with data for 2019.
- Is literacy rate, adult female rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 37.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nepal 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.