Mauritania Literacy Rate
Adult literacy rate SE.ADT.LITR.ZS
Mauritania's literacy rate was 59.53% in 2020, ranked 41st globally. This represents a 8.6% decrease from 2019. Data from World Bank, covering 2000–2020.
Overview
Mauritania's literacy rate stood at 59.53% in 2020, a decline of +5.58pp from 2015. Mauritania ranked 41st globally.
Mauritania’s literacy rate has risen steadily from the all‑time trough of 51.21 % in 2000 to a peak of 65.11 % in 2015, before slipping slightly to 59.53 % in 2020, placing the country 41st globally. The modest decline after 2015 suggests that gains made during the early 2000s have not been fully consolidated, despite continued expansion of primary schooling and adult‑education programmes. Compared with its regional peer Mozambique, which records a slightly higher rate of 59.78 %, Mauritania lags marginally, while the Democratic Republic of the Congo exceeds 65 % and Malawi reaches 70.15 %, underscoring divergent outcomes within Sub‑Saharan Africa. The 2020 figure reflects a four‑year coverage period, indicating that recent data may still be influenced by the COVID‑19 pandemic’s disruption of educational services. Sustained investment in teacher training, curriculum quality and digital learning infrastructure will be critical to reverse the post‑peak dip and sustain upward momentum in the coming years.
Data & projection
| Year | Literacy Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 59.53% | −5.58pp | #41 |
| 2015 | 65.11% | +3.04pp | #37 |
| 2013 | 62.07% | +10.86pp | #28 |
| 2000 | 51.21% | – | #39 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Mauritania matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2006. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw literacy rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Mauritania's literacy rate was 59.53% in 2020. Ranked 41st globally. This represents a 8.6% decrease from the previous year.
Mauritania's literacy rate peaked at 65.11% in 2015.
The lowest literacy rate in Mauritania was 51.21% in 2000.
Mauritania ranks 41st 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 Mauritania in 2020 was 59.53%. This ranks 41st in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_mauritania_literacy-rate,
title = {Mauritania Literacy Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/mauritania/literacy-rate/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}