Adult literacy rate in Ethiopia
60.5% of adults in Ethiopia could read and write in 2022. The value for 2022 is the highest in the series, which starts in 1994.
Ethiopia, 2022
60.5%
Change from 2021
+5.6percentage points
World, 2022
87.4%
Position in 2022
41st of 45
Adult literacy rate in Ethiopia over time
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Ethiopia
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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 | Ethiopia | World |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | – | 87.7% |
| 2023 | – | 87.6% |
| 2022 | 60.5% | 87.4% |
| 2021 | 54.9% | 87.2% |
| 2020 | – | 87.0% |
| 2019 | 55.0% | 86.8% |
| 2018 | – | 86.8% |
| 2017 | – | 86.5% |
| 2016 | 47.5% | 86.3% |
| 2015 | – | 86.0% |
| 2014 | – | 85.6% |
| 2013 | 48.4% | 85.2% |
| 2012 | – | 84.9% |
| 2011 | – | 84.7% |
| 2010 | – | 84.4% |
| 2009 | – | 83.8% |
| 2008 | – | 83.5% |
| 2007 | 39.0% | 83.1% |
| 2006 | – | 82.5% |
| 2005 | – | 82.6% |
| 2004 | 35.9% | 82.6% |
| 2003 | – | 82.2% |
| 2002 | – | 81.7% |
| 2001 | – | 81.4% |
| 2000 | – | 81.1% |
A dash means no value was published for that period.
In short
- That is a change of +5.6 percentage points from 54.9% in 2021.
- Since 1994, when it was 27.0%, the figure has changed by +33.4 percentage points.
- Among the 45 countries with data for 2022, Ethiopia has the 41st highest value.
- The figure for the world in 2022 was 87.4%.
More for Ethiopia
All statistics for Ethiopia
Primary school enrolment (gross)
84.4%
2024 · World Bank
ILO estimate of the youth NEET rate
17.2%
2025 · ILOSTAT
Primary completion (UIS)
54.4%
2022 · UNESCO UIS
Lower secondary completion
30.4%
2022 · UNESCO UIS
Upper secondary completion
17.6%
2022 · UNESCO UIS
Out-of-school children
22.5%
2024 · UNESCO UIS