Kuwait Literacy Rate
Adult literacy rate SE.ADT.LITR.ZS
Kuwait's literacy rate was 96.46% in 2020, ranked 15th globally. This represents a 0.4% increase from 2019. Data from World Bank, covering 1975–2020.
Overview
Kuwait's literacy rate stood at 96.46% in 2020, a rise of +0.40pp from 2018. Kuwait ranked 15th globally.
Kuwait’s adult literacy rate rose dramatically from 59.56 % in 1975 to 96.46 % in 2020, a gain of 36.90 percentage points over 45 years and the highest recorded level for the country. The 2020 figure, which places Kuwait at the 15th position globally, matches the all‑time peak and surpasses the 96.00 % recorded for Indonesia and the 95.64 % for Colombia, while trailing only slightly behind Oman’s 96.90 % and China’s 96.74 %. The steep increase reflects extensive investment in universal primary education and adult learning programmes initiated in the late 1970s, which expanded access to schooling for both men and women. Although the rate has essentially plateaued at the upper‑nineteens, maintaining this level will depend on sustaining quality education and addressing emerging gaps among migrant workers and low‑income groups; continued policy focus on inclusive lifelong learning could prevent any reversal of the upward trajectory.
Data & projection
| Year | Literacy Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 96.46% | +0.40pp | #15 |
| 2018 | 96.06% | +0.02pp | #10 |
| 2017 | 96.04% | +0.35pp | #11 |
| 2015 | 95.69% | +0.10pp | #10 |
| 2013 | 95.59% | +0.08pp | #12 |
| 2012 | 95.51% | +1.04pp | #10 |
| 2010 | 94.47% | +0.57pp | #14 |
| 2008 | 93.90% | +0.24pp | #10 |
| 2007 | 93.66% | +0.38pp | #8 |
| 2006 | 93.28% | +0.01pp | #7 |
| 2005 | 93.27% | +14.87pp | #3 |
| 1995 | 78.40% | +3.91pp | #4 |
| 1985 | 74.49% | +6.97pp | #5 |
| 1980 | 67.52% | +7.96pp | #16 |
| 1975 | 59.56% | – | #3 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Kuwait matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2012. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw literacy rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Kuwait's literacy rate was 96.46% in 2020. Ranked 15th globally. This represents a 0.4% increase from the previous year.
Kuwait's literacy rate peaked at 96.46% in 2020.
The lowest literacy rate in Kuwait was 59.56% in 1975.
Kuwait ranks 15th globally in literacy rate as of 2020.
The World Bank indicator code is SE.ADT.LITR.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
The literacy rate of Kuwait in 2020 was 96.46%. This ranks 15th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_kuwait_literacy-rate,
title = {Kuwait Literacy Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/kuwait/literacy-rate/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}