South Africa Literacy Rate
Adult literacy rate SE.ADT.LITR.ZS
South Africa's literacy rate was 90.57% in 2025, ranked 34th globally. This represents a 0.6% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1980–2025.
Overview
South Africa's literacy rate stood at 90.57% in 2025, a decline of +0.58pp from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 90.57% by 2025. South Africa ranked 34th globally.
South Africa's literacy rate has shown significant improvement over the years, with the latest data from the World Bank indicating a rate of 90.57% in 2025, placing it at rank 34 globally. This marks a notable increase from the all-time trough of 76.20% recorded in 1980, a year that coincided with the country's transition from a state of national emergency to a more democratic government. Since then, the literacy rate has experienced a steady rise, reaching its all-time peak of 95.02% in 2019. When compared to its peer countries, South Africa's literacy rate lags behind Sri Lanka's rate of 92.81%, but exceeds that of Iran, Islamic Republic of, at 89.76%. The improvement in literacy rate is a positive indicator of the country's progress in human development. However, continued investment in education and access to quality schooling will be crucial to sustaining this trend, and any setbacks in the education sector could potentially undermine South Africa's progress in this area.
Data & projection
| Year | Literacy Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027* trend | 89.94% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 90.26% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 90.57% | - | - |
| 2025 | 90.57% | −0.58pp | #34 |
| 2024 | 91.15% | +1.15pp | #14 |
| 2021 | 90.00% | −5.02pp | #22 |
| 2019 | 95.02% | +3.28pp | #22 |
| 2016 | 91.74% | −2.63pp | #27 |
| 2015 | 94.37% | +0.23pp | #16 |
| 2014 | 94.14% | +0.41pp | #17 |
| 2012 | 93.73% | +0.63pp | #16 |
| 2011 | 93.10% | +0.22pp | #31 |
| 2010 | 92.88% | −0.01pp | #21 |
| 2009 | 92.89% | +4.17pp | #15 |
| 2007 | 88.72% | +6.32pp | #18 |
| 1996 | 82.40% | +6.20pp | #5 |
| 1980 | 76.20% | – | #13 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
South Africa matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 1994. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw literacy rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
South Africa's literacy rate was 90.57% in 2025. Ranked 34th globally. This represents a 0.6% decrease from the previous year.
South Africa's literacy rate peaked at 95.02% in 2019.
The lowest literacy rate in South Africa was 76.20% in 1980.
South Africa ranks 34th globally in literacy rate as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SE.ADT.LITR.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
South Africa's literacy rate is projected to reach 90.57% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The literacy rate of South Africa in 2025 was 90.57%. This ranks 34th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_south-africa_literacy-rate,
title = {South Africa Literacy Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/south-africa/literacy-rate/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}