Egypt, Arab Republic of Literacy Rate
Adult literacy rate SE.ADT.LITR.ZS
Egypt, Arab Republic of's literacy rate was 82.29% in 2025, ranked 45th globally. This represents a 3.6% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1976–2025.
Overview
Egypt, Arab Republic of's literacy rate stood at 82.29% in 2025, a rise of +2.84pp from 2022. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 82.29% by 2025. Egypt, Arab Republic of ranked 45th globally.
Egypt’s literacy rate has risen sharply from a trough of 38.20 % in 1976 to an all‑time peak of 82.29 % in 2025, placing the country 45th globally. This 44.09‑percentage‑point increase over five decades reflects sustained expansion of primary and secondary schooling, adult education programmes, and reforms aimed at gender parity. The 2025 figure of 82.29 % is closely matched by peers such as India (82.65 %) and Bangladesh (81.70 %), indicating that Egypt now competes with the most populous developing economies in basic education outcomes. Nonetheless, the rate remains slightly below Rwanda’s 83.18 % and Tanzania’s 80.48 %, suggesting room for improvement in rural outreach and quality of instruction. Continued investment in teacher training, digital learning infrastructure, and targeted literacy campaigns for out‑of‑school youth will be crucial to sustain the upward trajectory and close the remaining gap with the highest‑performing peers.
Data & projection
| Year | Literacy Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025* trend | 82.29% | - | - |
| 2025 | 82.29% | +2.84pp | #45 |
| 2022 | 79.46% | −2.63pp | #31 |
| 2021 | 82.08% | +10.91pp | #28 |
| 2017 | 71.17% | −1.27pp | #30 |
| 2013 | 72.44% | −1.43pp | #27 |
| 2012 | 73.87% | +1.82pp | #34 |
| 2010 | 72.05% | +5.68pp | #37 |
| 2006 | 66.37% | −0.96pp | #20 |
| 2005 | 67.33% | +11.74pp | #15 |
| 1996 | 55.59% | +11.17pp | #7 |
| 1986 | 44.42% | +6.22pp | #4 |
| 1976 | 38.20% | – | #6 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Egypt, Arab Republic of matched the Orthodox Tightening Cycle pattern in 2024. Historically, 57% of countries showing this pattern (177 out of 311) saw literacy rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Egypt, Arab Republic of's literacy rate was 82.29% in 2025. Ranked 45th globally. This represents a 3.6% increase from the previous year.
Egypt, Arab Republic of's literacy rate peaked at 82.29% in 2025.
The lowest literacy rate in Egypt, Arab Republic of was 38.20% in 1976.
Egypt, Arab Republic of ranks 45th globally in literacy rate as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SE.ADT.LITR.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Egypt, Arab Republic of's literacy rate is projected to reach 82.29% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The literacy rate of Egypt, Arab Republic of in 2025 was 82.29%. This ranks 45th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_egypt-arab-republic-of_literacy-rate,
title = {Egypt, Arab Republic of Literacy Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/egypt-arab-republic-of/literacy-rate/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}