Adult literacy rate in China
96.7% of adults in China could read and write in 2020.
The latest value for China is for 2020. Most countries have figures for 2022.
China, 2020
96.7%
Change from 2010
+1.6percentage points
World, 2020
87.0%
Median of G20 countries, 2020
96.0%
Adult literacy rate in China over time
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China
World
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The chart loads when you scroll to it. The table below shows the same data.
The chart shows a calculation from the published values. The table below keeps the published values.
% of people aged 15 and above. Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Gaps mean no published value; points are not joined across missing years.
| Period | China | World |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | – | 87.7% |
| 2023 | – | 87.6% |
| 2022 | – | 87.4% |
| 2021 | – | 87.2% |
| 2020 | 96.7% | 87.0% |
| 2019 | – | 86.8% |
| 2018 | – | 86.8% |
| 2017 | – | 86.5% |
| 2016 | – | 86.3% |
| 2015 | – | 86.0% |
| 2014 | – | 85.6% |
| 2013 | – | 85.2% |
| 2012 | – | 84.9% |
| 2011 | – | 84.7% |
| 2010 | 95.1% | 84.4% |
| 2009 | – | 83.8% |
| 2008 | – | 83.5% |
| 2007 | – | 83.1% |
| 2006 | – | 82.5% |
| 2005 | – | 82.6% |
| 2004 | – | 82.6% |
| 2003 | – | 82.2% |
| 2002 | – | 81.7% |
| 2001 | – | 81.4% |
| 2000 | 90.9% | 81.1% |
A dash means no value was published for that period.
In short
- The previous available figure was 95.1% in 2010, a change of +1.6 percentage points.
- Since 1982, when it was 65.5%, the figure has changed by +31.2 percentage points.
- The figure for the world in 2020 was 87.0%.
More for China
All statistics for China
Primary school enrolment (gross)
99.6%
2024 · World Bank
ILO estimate of the youth NEET rate
11.2%
2025 · ILOSTAT
Primary completion (UIS)
99.2%
2020 · UNESCO UIS
Lower secondary completion
95.7%
2020 · UNESCO UIS
Upper secondary completion
87.5%
2020 · UNESCO UIS
Out-of-school children
6.7%
1997 · UNESCO UIS