Literacy rate, adult female in Tanzania

Tanzania: Literacy rate, adult female was 73.1% in 2022. ▲ Rising

Latest (2022)
73.1%
Change on year
down 6.8%
World rank
62nd
of 89 countries
All-time high
78.5%
in 2020
All-time low
48.1%
in 1988
Years of data
7
1988–2022

Literacy rate, adult female in Tanzania, 1988–2022

0204060801988200520221988: 48.1 % of females ages 15 and above2002: 62.2 % of females ages 15 and above2012: 73.3 % of females ages 15 and above2014: 74.1 % of females ages 15 and above2015: 73.1 % of females ages 15 and above2020: 78.5 % of females ages 15 and above2022: 73.1 % 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

Tanzania recorded 73.1% for literacy rate, adult female in 2022.

The figure is down 6.8% on the previous year and down 0.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, adult female in Tanzania peaked at 78.5% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 48.1%, in 1988.

Tanzania ranks 62nd of 89 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Literacy rate, adult female in Tanzania, year by year

Annual values for Literacy rate, adult female (% of females ages 15 and above) in Tanzania, 1988 to 2022.
Year % of females ages 15 and above Change
1988 48.1%
2002 62.2% +29.3%
2012 73.3% +18.0%
2014 74.1% +1.0%
2015 73.1% -1.4%
2020 78.5% +7.3%
2022 73.1% -6.8%

Tanzania compared with similar countries

  • Tanzania's 73.1% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 71.4%, 1.0× the median. (30 countries reporting)
  • Tanzania's 73.1% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 63.2%, 1.2× the median. (28 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 48.1% 48.1% 48.1% 1
2000s 62.2% 62.2% 62.2% 1
2010s 73.5% 73.1% 74.1% 3
2020s 75.8% 73.1% 78.5% 2

Countries ranked near Tanzania

  1. 59 Algeria 74.2% compare
  2. 60 Uganda 73.5% compare
  3. 61 Egypt 73.3% compare
  4. 63 Ghana 72.1% compare
  5. 64 India 70.7% compare
  6. 65 Laos 66.7% compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More gender data for Tanzania

All data for Tanzania →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate, adult female in Tanzania?
Literacy rate, adult female in Tanzania was 73.1% in 2022, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest literacy rate, adult female recorded in Tanzania?
The highest recorded value was 78.5% in 2020.
What is the lowest literacy rate, adult female recorded in Tanzania?
The lowest recorded value was 48.1% in 1988.
How does Tanzania rank for literacy rate, adult female?
Tanzania ranks 62nd out of 89 countries with data for 2022.
Is literacy rate, adult female rising or falling in Tanzania?
Over the last ten years it is down 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Tanzania 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 Tanzania. 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/tanzania/

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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.