CIA - The World Factbook

Field Listing :: Literacy

This entry includes a definition of literacy and Census Bureau percentages for the total population, males, and females. There are no universal definitions and standards of literacy. Unless otherwise specified, all rates are based on the most common definition - the ability to read and write at a specified age. Detailing the standards that individual countries use to assess the ability to read and write is beyond the scope of the Factbook. Information on literacy, while not a perfect measure of educational results, is probably the most easily available and valid for international comparisons. Low levels of literacy, and education in general, can impede the economic development of a country in the current rapidly changing, technology-driven world.

Country	Literacy(%)


Afghanistan	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 28.1% male: 43.1% female: 12.6% (2000 est.)


Albania	definition: age 9 and over can read and write total population: 98.7% male: 99.2% female: 98.3% (2001 census)


Algeria	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 69.9% male: 79.6% female: 60.1% (2002 est.)


American Samoa	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 98% female: 97% (1980 est.)


Andorra	definition: NA total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%


Angola	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 67.4% male: 82.9% female: 54.2% (2001 est.)


Anguilla	definition: age 12 and over can read and write total population: 95% male: 95% female: 95% (1984 est.)


Antigua and Barbuda	definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling total population: 85.8% male: NA female: NA (2003 est.)


Argentina	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.2% male: 97.2% female: 97.2% (2001 census)


Armenia	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.4% male: 99.7% female: 99.2% (2001 census)


Aruba	definition: NA total population: 97.3% male: 97.5% female: 97.1% (2000 census)


Australia	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)


Austria	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: NA female: NA


Azerbaijan	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.8% male: 99.5% female: 98.2% (1999 census)


Bahamas, The	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95.6% male: 94.7% female: 96.5% (2003 est.)


Bahrain	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86.5% male: 88.6% female: 83.6% (2001 census)


Bangladesh	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 47.9% male: 54% female: 41.4% (2001 Census)


Barbados	definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 99.7% male: 99.7% female: 99.7% (2002 est.)


Belarus	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.6% male: 99.8% female: 99.4% (1999 census)


Belgium	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)


Belize	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 76.9% male: 76.7% female: 77.1% (2000 census)


Benin	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 34.7% male: 47.9% female: 23.3% (2002 census)


Bermuda	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 99% (2005 est.)


Bhutan	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 47% male: 60% female: 34% (2003 est.)


Bolivia	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86.7% male: 93.1% female: 80.7% (2001 census)


Bosnia and Herzegovina	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.7% male: 99% female: 94.4% (2000 est.)


Botswana	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 81.2% male: 80.4% female: 81.8% (2003 est.)


Brazil	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 88.6% male: 88.4% female: 88.8% (2004 est.)


British Virgin Islands	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.8% (1991 est.) male: NA female: NA


Brunei	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.7% male: 95.2% female: 90.2% (2001 census)


Bulgaria	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.2% male: 98.7% female: 97.7% (2001 census)


Burkina Faso	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 21.8% male: 29.4% female: 15.2% (2003 est.)


Burma	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89.9% male: 93.9% female: 86.4% (2006 est.)


Burundi	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 59.3% male: 67.3% female: 52.2% (2000 est.)


Cambodia	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 73.6% male: 84.7% female: 64.1% (2004 est.)


Cameroon	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 67.9% male: 77% female: 59.8% (2001 est.)


Canada	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)


Cape Verde	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 76.6% male: 85.8% female: 69.2% (2003 est.)


Cayman Islands	definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1970 est.)


Central African Republic	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 48.6% male: 64.8% female: 33.5% (2000 est.)


Chad	definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic total population: 25.7% male: 40.8% female: 12.8% (2000 est.)


Chile	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95.7% male: 95.8% female: 95.6% (2002 census)


China	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90.9% male: 95.1% female: 86.5% (2000 census)


Christmas Island	NA


Cocos (Keeling) Islands	NA


Colombia	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90.4% male: 90.1% female: 90.7% (2005 census)


Comoros	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 56.5% male: 63.6% female: 49.3% (2003 est.)


Congo, Democratic Republic of the	definition: age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba total population: 67.2% male: 80.9% female: 54.1% (2001 est.)


Congo, Republic of the	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.8% male: 89.6% female: 78.4% (2003 est.)


Cook Islands	definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA female: NA


Costa Rica	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.9% male: 94.7% female: 95.1% (2000 census)


Cote d'Ivoire	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 48.7% male: 60.8% female: 38.6% (2000 est.)


Croatia	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.1% male: 99.3% female: 97.1% (2001 census)


Cuba	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.8% (2002 census)


Cyprus	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.6% male: 98.9% female: 96.3% (2001 census)


Czech Republic	definition: NA total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)


Denmark	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)


Djibouti	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 67.9% male: 78% female: 58.4% (2003 est.)


Dominica	definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 94% male: 94% female: 94% (2003 est.)


Dominican Republic	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87% male: 86.8% female: 87.2% (2002 census)


Ecuador	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91% male: 92.3% female: 89.7% (2001 census)


Egypt	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 71.4% male: 83% female: 59.4% (2005 est.)


El Salvador	definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 80.2% male: 82.8% female: 77.7% (2003 est.)


Equatorial Guinea	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87% male: 93.4% female: 80.5% (2000 est.)


Eritrea	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 58.6% male: 69.9% female: 47.6% (2003 est.)


Estonia	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.8% (2000 census)


Ethiopia	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 42.7% male: 50.3% female: 35.1% (2003 est.)


Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)	NA


Faroe Islands	NA; note - probably 99%, the same as Denmark proper


Fiji	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.7% male: 95.5% female: 91.9% (2003 est.)


Finland	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2000 est.)


France	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)


French Polynesia	definition: age 14 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1977 est.)


Gabon	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 63.2% male: 73.7% female: 53.3% (1995 est.)


Gambia, The	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 40.1% male: 47.8% female: 32.8% (2003 est.)


Gaza Strip	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.4% male: 96.7% female: 88% (2004 est.)


Georgia	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2004 est.)


Germany	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)


Ghana	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.9% male: 66.4% female: 49.8% (2000 census)


Gibraltar	definition: NA total population: above 80% male: NA female: NA


Greece	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96% male: 97.8% female: 94.2% (2001 census)


Greenland	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2001 est.)


Grenada	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96% male: NA female: NA (2003 est.)


Guam	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1990 est.)


Guatemala	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 69.1% male: 75.4% female: 63.3% (2002 census)


Guernsey	NA


Guinea	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 29.5% male: 42.6% female: 18.1% (2003 est.)


Guinea-Bissau	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 42.4% male: 58.1% female: 27.4% (2003 est.)


Guyana	definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98.8% male: 99.1% female: 98.5% (2003 est.)


Haiti	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 52.9% male: 54.8% female: 51.2% (2003 est.)


Holy See (Vatican City)	definition: NA total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%


Honduras	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 80% male: 79.8% female: 80.2% (2001 census)


Hong Kong	definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 93.5% male: 96.9% female: 89.6% (2002)


Hungary	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.4% male: 99.5% female: 99.3% (2003 est.)


Iceland	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)


India	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 61% male: 73.4% female: 47.8% (2001 census)


Indonesia	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90.4% male: 94% female: 86.8% (2004 est.)


Iran	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 77% male: 83.5% female: 70.4% (2002 est.)


Iraq	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 74.1% male: 84.1% female: 64.2% (2000 est.)


Ireland	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)


Isle of Man	NA


Israel	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.1% male: 98.5% female: 95.9% (2004 est.)


Italy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.4% male: 98.8% female: 98% (2001 census)


Jamaica	definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 87.9% male: 84.1% female: 91.6% (2003 est.)


Japan	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2002)


Jersey	NA


Jordan	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89.9% male: 95.1% female: 84.7% (2003 est.)


Kazakhstan	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.5% male: 99.8% female: 99.3% (1999 est.)


Kenya	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85.1% male: 90.6% female: 79.7% (2003 est.)


Kiribati	NA


Korea, North	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99%


Korea, South	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.9% male: 99.2% female: 96.6% (2002)


Kosovo	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.9% male: 96.6% female: 87.5% (2007 Census)


Kuwait	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.3% male: 94.4% female: 91% (2005 census)


Kyrgyzstan	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.7% male: 99.3% female: 98.1% (1999 census)


Laos	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 68.7% male: 77% female: 60.9% (2001 est.)


Latvia	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.7% male: 99.8% female: 99.7% (2000 census)


Lebanon	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87.4% male: 93.1% female: 82.2% (2003 est.)


Lesotho	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 84.8% male: 74.5% female: 94.5% (2003 est.)


Liberia	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.5% male: 73.3% female: 41.6% (2003 est.)


Libya	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 82.6% male: 92.4% female: 72% (2003 est.)


Liechtenstein	definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%


Lithuania	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.6% male: 99.6% female: 99.6% (2001 census)


Luxembourg	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2000 est.)


Macau	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.3% male: 95.3% female: 87.8% (2001 census)


Macedonia	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.1% male: 98.2% female: 94.1% (2002 census)


Madagascar	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 68.9% male: 75.5% female: 62.5% (2003 est.)


Malawi	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 62.7% male: 76.1% female: 49.8% (2003 est.)


Malaysia	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 88.7% male: 92% female: 85.4% (2000 census)


Maldives	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.3% male: 96.2% female: 96.4% (2000 census)


Mali	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 46.4% male: 53.5% female: 39.6% (2003 est.)


Malta	definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 92.8% male: 92% female: 93.6% (2003 est.)


Marshall Islands	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.7% male: 93.6% female: 93.7% (1999)


Mauritania	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 51.2% male: 59.5% female: 43.4% (2000 census)


Mauritius	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 84.4% male: 88.4% female: 80.5% (2000 census)


Mayotte	86%


Mexico	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91% male: 92.4% female: 89.6% (2004 est.)


Micronesia, Federated States of	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89% male: 91% female: 88% (1980 est.)


Moldova	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.1% male: 99.7% female: 98.6% (2005 est.)


Monaco	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)


Mongolia	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.8% male: 98% female: 97.5% (2000 census)


Montserrat	definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1970 est.)


Morocco	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 52.3% male: 65.7% female: 39.6% (2004 census)


Mozambique	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 47.8% male: 63.5% female: 32.7% (2003 est.)


Namibia	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85% male: 86.8% female: 83.5% (2001 census)


Nauru	NA


Nepal	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 48.6% male: 62.7% female: 34.9% (2001 census)


Netherlands	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)


Netherlands Antilles	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.7% male: 96.7% female: 96.8% (2003 est.)


New Caledonia	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.2% male: 96.8% female: 95.5% (1996 census)


New Zealand	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)


Nicaragua	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 67.5% male: 67.2% female: 67.8% (2003 est.)


Niger	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 28.7% male: 42.9% female: 15.1% (2005 est.)


Nigeria	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 68% male: 75.7% female: 60.6% (2003 est.)


Niue	definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA female: NA


Norfolk Island	NA


Northern Mariana Islands	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 96% (1980 est.)


Norway	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%


Oman	definition: NA total population: 81.4% male: 86.8% female: 73.5% (2003 census)


Pakistan	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 49.9% male: 63% female: 36% (2005 est.)


Palau	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92% male: 93% female: 90% (1980 est.)


Panama	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.9% male: 92.5% female: 91.2% (2000 census)


Papua New Guinea	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.3% male: 63.4% female: 50.9% (2000 census)


Paraguay	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94% male: 94.9% female: 93% (2003 est.)


Peru	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.9% male: 96.4% female: 89.4% (2007 Census)


Philippines	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.6% male: 92.5% female: 92.7% (2000 census)


Pitcairn Islands	NA


Poland	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.7% (2003 est.)


Portugal	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.3% male: 95.5% female: 91.3% (2003 est.)


Puerto Rico	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.1% male: 93.9% female: 94.4% (2002 est.)


Qatar	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89% male: 89.1% female: 88.6% (2004 census)


Romania	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.3% male: 98.4% female: 96.3% (2002 census)


Russia	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.4% male: 99.7% female: 99.2% (2002 census)


Rwanda	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 70.4% male: 76.3% female: 64.7% (2003 est.)


Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha	definition: age 20 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 98% (1987 est.)


Saint Kitts and Nevis	definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97.8% male: NA female: NA (2003 est.)


Saint Lucia	definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 90.1% male: 89.5% female: 90.6% (2001 est.)


Saint Pierre and Miquelon	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1982 est.)


Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 96% male: 96% female: 96% (1970 est.)


Samoa	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.7% male: 99.6% female: 99.7% (2003 est.)


San Marino	definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 96% male: 97% female: 95%


Sao Tome and Principe	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 84.9% male: 92.2% female: 77.9% (2001 census)


Saudi Arabia	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 78.8% male: 84.7% female: 70.8% (2003 est.)


Senegal	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 39.3% male: 51.1% female: 29.2% (2002 est.)


Serbia	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.4% male: 98.9% female: 94.1% (2003 census) note: includes Montenegro


Seychelles	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.8% male: 91.4% female: 92.3% (2002 census)


Sierra Leone	definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic total population: 35.1% male: 46.9% female: 24.4% (2004 est.)


Singapore	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.5% male: 96.6% female: 88.6% (2000 census)


Slovakia	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.6% male: 99.7% female: 99.6% (2004)


Slovenia	definition: NA total population: 99.7% male: 99.7% female: 99.6%


Solomon Islands	NA


Somalia	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 37.8% male: 49.7% female: 25.8% (2001 est.)


South Africa	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86.4% male: 87% female: 85.7% (2003 est.)


Spain	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.9% male: 98.7% female: 97.2% (2003 est.)


Sri Lanka	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90.7% male: 92.3% female: 89.1% (2001 census)


Sudan	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 61.1% male: 71.8% female: 50.5% (2003 est.)


Suriname	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89.6% male: 92% female: 87.2% (2004 census)


Svalbard	NA


Swaziland	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 81.6% male: 82.6% female: 80.8% (2003 est.)


Sweden	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)


Switzerland	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)


Syria	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 79.6% male: 86% female: 73.6% (2004 census)


Taiwan	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.1% male: NA female: NA (2003)


Tajikistan	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.5% male: 99.7% female: 99.2% (2000 census)


Tanzania	definition: age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili), English, or Arabic total population: 69.4% male: 77.5% female: 62.2% (2002 census)


Thailand	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.6% male: 94.9% female: 90.5% (2000 census)


Timor-Leste	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 58.6% male: NA female: NA (2002)


Togo	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 60.9% male: 75.4% female: 46.9% (2003 est.)


Tokelau	NA


Tonga	definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English total population: 98.9% male: 98.8% female: 99% (1999 est.)


Trinidad and Tobago	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.6% male: 99.1% female: 98% (2003 est.)


Tunisia	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 74.3% male: 83.4% female: 65.3% (2004 census)


Turkey	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87.4% male: 95.3% female: 79.6% (2004 est.)


Turkmenistan	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.8% male: 99.3% female: 98.3% (1999 est.)


Turks and Caicos Islands	definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98% male: 99% female: 98% (1970 est.)


Tuvalu	NA


Uganda	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 66.8% male: 76.8% female: 57.7% (2002 census)


Ukraine	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.4% male: 99.7% female: 99.2% (2001 census)


United Arab Emirates	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 77.9% male: 76.1% female: 81.7% (2003 est.)


United Kingdom	definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)


United States	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)


Uruguay	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 97.6% female: 98.4% (2003 est.)


Uzbekistan	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.3% male: 99.6% female: 99% (2003 est.)


Vanuatu	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 74% male: NA female: NA (1999 census)


Venezuela	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93% male: 93.3% female: 92.7% (2001 census)


Vietnam	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90.3% male: 93.9% female: 86.9% (2002 est.)


Virgin Islands	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90-95% est. male: NA female: NA (2005 est.)


Wallis and Futuna	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 50% male: 50% female: 50% (1969 est.)


West Bank	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.4% male: 96.7% female: 88% (2004 est.)


Western Sahara	NA

World

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82%
male: 87%
female: 77%
note: over two-thirds of the world's 785 million illiterate adults are found in only eight countries (Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Pakistan); of all the illiterate adults in the world, two-thirds are women; extremely low literacy rates are concentrated in three regions, the Arab states, South and West Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa, where around one-third of the men and half of all women are illiterate (2005 est.)


Yemen	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 50.2% male: 70.5% female: 30% (2003 est.)


Zambia	definition: age 15 and over can read and write English total population: 80.6% male: 86.8% female: 74.8% (2003 est.)


Zimbabwe	definition: age 15 and over can read and write English total population: 90.7% male: 94.2% female: 87.2% (2003 est.)

Central Intelligence Agency

Mission