Literacy rate, adult female in South Asia
South Asia: Literacy rate, adult female was 71.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, adult female in South Asia, 1975–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of females ages 15 and above.
Analysis
In 2024, literacy rate, adult female in South Asia stood at 71.6%. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 15.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, adult female in South Asia peaked at 71.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 22.2%, in 1975.
South Asia ranks 25th of 39 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Literacy rate, adult female in South Asia, year by year
| Year | % of females ages 15 and above | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 22.2% | — |
| 1976 | 22.2% | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 23.0% | +3.5% |
| 1978 | 23.8% | +3.4% |
| 1979 | 24.6% | +3.4% |
| 1980 | 25.4% | +3.2% |
| 1981 | 26.1% | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 26.9% | +3.1% |
| 1983 | 27.8% | +3.0% |
| 1984 | 28.6% | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 29.4% | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 30.3% | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 31.1% | +2.9% |
| 1988 | 31.0% | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 32.0% | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 32.9% | +3.0% |
| 1991 | 33.8% | +2.8% |
| 1992 | 34.8% | +2.8% |
| 1993 | 35.7% | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 36.7% | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 37.7% | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 38.8% | +2.7% |
| 1997 | 39.8% | +2.7% |
| 1998 | 44.8% | +12.5% |
| 1999 | 45.9% | +2.5% |
| 2000 | 47.0% | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 48.0% | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 49.1% | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 50.2% | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 51.3% | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 50.2% | -2.0% |
| 2006 | 50.7% | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 51.9% | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 53.0% | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 54.1% | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 58.3% | +7.9% |
| 2011 | 59.3% | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 59.4% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 60.9% | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 61.9% | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 63.5% | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 65.1% | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 66.1% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 67.0% | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 66.9% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 67.9% | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 68.9% | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 69.9% | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 70.8% | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 71.6% | +1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 23.2% | 22.2% | 24.6% | 5 |
| 1980s | 28.9% | 25.4% | 32.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 38.1% | 32.9% | 45.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 50.5% | 47.0% | 54.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 62.9% | 58.3% | 67.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 69.8% | 67.9% | 71.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
More gender data for South Asia
- Labor force, female 206.42 million (2025)
- Labor force, female, per capita 0.122 units per person (2025)
- Labor force, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Labor force, female, annual growth rate 1.47 % change on previous year (2025)
- Labor force, female, per square kilometre 58.22 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Ratio of female to male youth unemployment rate (% ages 15-24) 105.4% (2025)
- School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, female 11.07 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, male 11.09 years (2019)
- Proportion of women in ministerial level positions 11.4% (2025)
- Women of reproductive age 512.73 million (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate, adult female in South Asia?
- Literacy rate, adult female in South Asia was 71.6% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest literacy rate, adult female recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 71.6% in 2024.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, adult female recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.2% in 1975.
- How does South Asia rank for literacy rate, adult female?
- South Asia ranks 25th out of 39 groups with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rate, adult female rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Asia 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.