Liberia Literacy Rate
Adult literacy rate SE.ADT.LITR.ZS
Liberia's literacy rate was 59.40% in 2010, ranked 42nd globally. This represents a 85.0% increase from 2009. Data from World Bank, covering 1984–2010.
Overview
Liberia's literacy rate stood at 59.40% in 2010, a rise of +27.29pp from 1984. Liberia ranked 42nd globally.
Liberia’s adult literacy rate rose from a low of 32.11 % in 1984 to 59.40 % in 2010, marking the highest level recorded in the country’s series and placing it 42nd in the world in that year. The more than 27‑percentage‑point increase over 26 years reflects gradual expansion of primary education and post‑conflict reconstruction efforts, yet the rate remains below that of regional peers such as Togo (57.20 %) and Timor‑Leste (58.31 %). Compared with India’s 68.34 % and Papua New Guinea’s 69.10 %, Liberia’s progress is modest, underscoring persistent gaps in school access, especially in rural areas. The upward trajectory suggests that continued investment in teacher training, curriculum development and gender‑inclusive policies could sustain improvements, while any reversal of political stability or funding cuts would risk stalling the gains achieved since the 1980s.
Data & projection
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Liberia matched the Fiscal Dominance Trap pattern in 2008. Historically, 72% of countries showing this pattern (278 out of 386) saw literacy rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Liberia's literacy rate was 59.40% in 2010. Ranked 42nd globally. This represents a 85.0% increase from the previous year.
Liberia's literacy rate peaked at 59.40% in 2010.
The lowest literacy rate in Liberia was 32.11% in 1984.
Liberia ranks 42nd globally in literacy rate as of 2010.
The World Bank indicator code is SE.ADT.LITR.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
The literacy rate of Liberia in 2010 was 59.40%. This ranks 42nd in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_liberia_literacy-rate,
title = {Liberia Literacy Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/liberia/literacy-rate/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}