Papua New Guinea Literacy Rate
Adult literacy rate SE.ADT.LITR.ZS
Papua New Guinea's literacy rate was 86.08% in 2025, ranked 41st globally. This represents a 1.2% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 2000–2025.
Overview
Papua New Guinea's literacy rate stood at 86.08% in 2025, a decline of +1.06pp from 2022. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 86.08% by 2025. Papua New Guinea ranked 41st globally.
Papua New Guinea's literacy rate has exhibited a notable increase over the past two and a half decades, with a significant jump from 57.34% in 2000 to 87.14% in 2022, marking the country's highest literacy rate to date. The rate has continued to rise, albeit at a slower pace, reaching 86.08% in 2025. Although Papua New Guinea's literacy rate still lags behind its peer countries, such as Zambia which ranked 40th globally with a literacy rate of 86.88% in 2025, the country's progress is encouraging. The improvement in literacy rates is a testament to the government's efforts to invest in education, particularly in rural areas where access to education was historically limited. The literacy rate for Papua New Guinea is projected to continue its upward trend, driven by ongoing investments in education infrastructure and programs aimed at reducing the digital divide. However, sustaining this momentum will depend on the government's ability to maintain a stable and well-funded education system.
Data & projection
| Year | Literacy Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025* trend | 86.08% | - | - |
| 2025 | 86.08% | −1.06pp | #41 |
| 2022 | 87.14% | +17.08pp | #28 |
| 2017 | 70.06% | +0.96pp | #31 |
| 2010 | 69.10% | +11.76pp | #40 |
| 2000 | 57.34% | – | #37 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Papua New Guinea matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2022. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw literacy rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Papua New Guinea's literacy rate was 86.08% in 2025. Ranked 41st globally. This represents a 1.2% decrease from the previous year.
Papua New Guinea's literacy rate peaked at 87.14% in 2022.
The lowest literacy rate in Papua New Guinea was 57.34% in 2000.
Papua New Guinea ranks 41st globally in literacy rate as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SE.ADT.LITR.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Papua New Guinea's literacy rate is projected to reach 86.08% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The literacy rate of Papua New Guinea in 2025 was 86.08%. This ranks 41st in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_papua-new-guinea_literacy-rate,
title = {Papua New Guinea Literacy Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/papua-new-guinea/literacy-rate/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}