Pakistan Literacy Rate
Adult literacy rate SE.ADT.LITR.ZS
Overview
Pakistan's literacy rate stood at 58.86% in 2021, a rise of +0.86pp from 2019. Pakistan ranked 38th globally.
Data & projection
| Year | Literacy Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 58.86% | +0.86pp | #38 |
| 2019 | 58.00% | +0.99pp | #46 |
| 2018 | 57.01% | −2.12pp | #41 |
| 2017 | 59.13% | +2.15pp | #39 |
| 2014 | 56.98% | +1.39pp | #40 |
| 2013 | 55.59% | −1.17pp | #30 |
| 2012 | 56.76% | +2.02pp | #41 |
| 2011 | 54.74% | −0.64pp | #48 |
| 2010 | 55.38% | +0.49pp | #45 |
| 2009 | 54.89% | −0.64pp | #28 |
| 2008 | 55.53% | +3.39pp | #27 |
| 2007 | 52.14% | −2.01pp | #25 |
| 2006 | 54.15% | +4.28pp | #24 |
| 2005 | 49.87% | +7.17pp | #17 |
| 1998 | 42.70% | +16.97pp | #3 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Pakistan matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2024. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw literacy rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Pakistan's literacy rate was 58.86% in 2021. Ranked 38th globally. This represents a 1.5% increase from the previous year.
Pakistan's literacy rate peaked at 59.13% in 2017.
The lowest literacy rate in Pakistan was 25.73% in 1981.
Pakistan ranks 38th globally in literacy rate as of 2021.
The World Bank indicator code is SE.ADT.LITR.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
The literacy rate of Pakistan in 2021 was 58.86%. This ranks 38th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_pakistan_literacy-rate,
title = {Pakistan Literacy Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/pakistan/literacy-rate},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}